Over the past few days, Niantic seems to have gone on a massive wayspot removal rampage throughout the Netherlands. Of course they’re operating with their usual accuracy and thus many wayspots have been falsely removed. In this topic, I will hopefully prove why they need to be restored.
First of all, let’s start with the most blatant case of Niantic screwing up: these following wayspots.
Now, moving on to the mass removal of “graffiti” wayspots. For this part, I’ll be referring to Niantic’s own handy-dandy criteria clarifications: Unique Art
Clearly there is a big distinction between “vandalism” and proper art. The main criteria for acceptability seem to be:
a unique, singular style
an air of intentionality
All of the following wayspots are clearly the work of proper graffiti artists instead of single-digit IQ hooligans with spray cans spraying their initials on everything in sight.
This is a sign for a dog park. Dog parks are obviously excellent submissions, being great places to exercise with your dog and socialize with other dog owners. Yes, the sign is mass-produced, but it’s not about the sign but what it represents. I can’t exactly submit a photo of a grassy field for the dog park, now can I?
And this is a trail marker for a proper named walking trail. The only type of trail markers that seem to be acceptable any more these days. So I have no idea why this one was removed.
So yeah, I’m expecting these wayspots to be restored. And if Niantic could stop screwing up like this and stop overly harrassing their Dutch playerbase, that would be nice too.
They’re not single-family PRP but multi-family PRP. So unless you’re going to move the goalposts all of a sudden and say wayspots aren’t allowed on ANY kind of PRP, there is zero reason for these to be removed.
A prominent artistic display on the outside wall or in a shared space of an apartment or otherwise shared dwelling building, like the one pictured above, are eligible.
We have received some additional information which contradicts the information we had. We will review the additional information and follow-up with an update.
I wasn’t aware there was a singular definition of what is and isn’t “art”.
But yes, I’m sure that my city (which has a comprehensive street art scene and encourages painting murals etc. on street furniture) considers this to be “vandalism”.
Some types of graffiti can be considered as art. Not all art belongs in a museum or a wall. Tags are not art. However, some great graffiti have been placed on property that it shouldn’t be on, and therefore won’t qualify.
Good thing all of these pieces are either on transformer boxes or multi-family PRP then. And the only one that can even remotely be considered a “tag” is this one:
I’m not going to comment on each and every graffiti that has been posted in this thread, as Niantic have already received the report and are investigating.
Vandalism doesn’t specifically have to do with the quality of the work, but rather whether or not the graffiti was authorized. There can be really high-quality street art that’s vandalism and should not be accepted. It’s on the submitter to demonstrate, if necessary, that the street art/grafitti is in fact something that was authorized to be where it is.
Most of the time it’s obvious, like large high quality murals on the side of business walls, but it isn’t always. It’s quite possible that you aren’t going to be able to make that argument. Then it comes down to a question of does it look like something that is authorized or not. It’s a hard call, but I bet most people err on the side of caution and consider something vandalism, unless it clearly looks like it was a sanctioned piece of art.
And we’re back to Banksy who afaik doesnt get permission first but everyones happy when his art shows up, and then usually someone steals it to sell or the council show up and remove it “for safekeeping”
The only bit in the criteria clarifications that even comes close to mentioning “authorization” is where it lists “most likely being commissioned” as a pro.
who afaik doesnt get permission first 