When I have time, I’ll make a separate post that synthesizes my thoughts in one place. That post will also serve to ensure no one feels personally singled out—because that’s absolutely not my intent.
I’ve been reading through the clarifying statements Niantic has made, including those in the Criteria Clarification Collection,(About the Criteria Clarification Collection category), to develop many of my thoughts. Niantic has publicly expressed a desire for more accessibility and inclusion in what qualifies as a Wayspot, which I think is important context for this conversation - independent of implied financial motivations.
To clarify: I never said a particular person doesn’t accept signs. What I said is that I repeatedly see people on this forum stating that neighborhood signs are categorically not acceptable. This message comes up often, and it seems to be a persistent point of confusion—as you yourself have reiterated.
If 25–33% of nominations are for neighborhood signs (a percentage I’ve seen referenced here, though I acknowledge I don’t have concrete data to verify this), then it suggests a statistically significant number of submitters believe these signs meet the eligibility criteria. And anecdotally, that percentage has tracked pretty closely with what I’ve seen in my own recent reviews. That volume of submissions alone is worth discussing—not automatically dismissing.
If you’re not someone who categorically rejects neighborhood signs, then none of what I’m saying is directed at you.
To the people who are rejecting all neighborhood signs outright, that’s obviously your prerogative. Niantic seems to leave room for personal judgment in how reviewers apply the criteria. If some people feel justified in arguing that neighborhood signs should always be rejected, then it’s equally valid for others to argue that they should not be categorically dismissed, which is what I believe.
Again, my intention was never to single you out personally, and I’m not sure why my confusion around this topic has landed with you in that way.