I recently submitted a Wayspot nomination that unfortunately got rejected. The reasons given were that it was considered “offensive” and that the photos were supposedly taken from other sources. The thing is, I personally took those photos, and I also uploaded them to Google Maps myself.
I’m quite confused about how the reviewers came to this conclusion. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Is there a way to clarify or appeal when you know for sure that the photos are your own work?
Piccolo santuario dedicato a Padre Pio, situato presso il Boschetto di via Achille Grandi a Genzano di Roma. Un luogo raccolto e appartato, punto di devozione e riflessione spirituale per i residenti e i visitatori della zona.
Informazioni supplementari
Il luogo è facilmente accessibile dalla strada principale e non si trova su una proprietà privata. È situato all’interno di un parchetto comunale (chiamato Boschetto di Via Achille Grandi), riconoscibile anche dalla presenza di tabelloni informativi dedicati a ritrovi e momenti di preghiera. Linko posizione precisa: Google Maps
Unfortunately, no one involved in the WF process can verify that the photos on Google maps were taken by you. It’s best to take multiple photos from slightly different angles. Then upload different photos to WF and Google so you don’t get this confusion about 3rd party.
Staff have informed us that is the text string that comes up when “abuse” has been flagged. I agree they should change that. But I feel certain that this was flagged because your photo came up on Google Photos.
Did you get a separate email from Niantic? I don’t think this counts as a strike or warning unless you got a separate email. Just use it as a lesson not to post the same photo to Google Maps.
If you do get any kind of direct email from Niantic, you will have a chance to prove it is your photo.
So…I have encounter this situation, and yes, once the photo is on google map, it is classified as third party photo even if you are the owner. I asked the support on my own situation and got the respond like this.
I withdraw those submission. I learnt that take 2-3 seperate photo, one for google map and one for Wayfarer.
It is against the rules to use a photo taken from another source. If reviewers find a photo used in a submission posted on another source, how are they supposed to know who the photo belongs to? Reviewers don’t know whose submission they are looking at. Google Maps might use a completely different name than the PGO trainer name.
It’s literally not possible for reviewers to tell what is going on. Therefore, it is appropriate to flag it as a Third Party Photo. Third Party Photos are considered abuse.
Again, how does a reviewer know that? We can’t see when you made your nomination.
Have you done any reviews to understand the process and what you can/can’t tell about a nomination while reviewing? By design, we are not supposed to be able to know the things you’re talking about.
The whole point of wayfarer is that nominations are meant to be anonymous during the review process. The reviewer doesn’t see who submitted the nomination, when the nomination was submitted, or anything like that. All they see is the photos you used, the text you typed in the title, description and supporting info, and the tags you selected for the “what is it?” section.
If they find that the photo you used is also visible during a reverse image search, then they have no way of knowing if you were the photographer, or whether you’ve just stolen that photo from elsewhere on the internet (which is considered abuse, and happens quite frequently despite the warnings not to do it).
So as the others have said, if you’re using an image for a nomination, make sure you only use it for that nomination, and don’t put it anywhere else on the internet. It will inevitably get flagged for being third party.
And the photos of the surroundings—where would I have gotten them? Just admit it: 90% of reviewers have god complexes and progressive obsessions, convinced they actually matter.
@Pex988 I mean this is from a Niantic staff via help chat, and we have to abide by the rule from them.
Also your comment about the reviewers having “god complexes and progressive obsessions”, that is just rude. We are just following basic procedure by Niantic Wayfarer, and the reviewers can get punished if they reviews against Niantic Criteria badly.
Hi @Pex988
I want to ask you to stay respectful with our fellow wayfinders.
The situation you came in with is upsetting, yes. But now it should be clear that:
your nomination is anonimously for reviewers
reviewers do back researches with pictures
if they find an identical picture online they have to reject for using 3. party photos*
if a nomination is rejected for using 3. party photos you’ll receive a rejection email with the “harassment” string
-* it’s identical for descriptions
I suggest to resubmit with a new photo if it’s not on SFPRP.
Good luck
I apologize for the way I expressed myself, but it was just my opinion. Many of my submissions were rejected, yet I had the same proposals submitted by a friend of mine (with the same description, star rating, and photo) accepted. Therefore, these criteria seem to be applied at the discretion of whichever reviewer is handling them. I find that frustrating.
Imagine if the same way of deciding were applied in court—it would be authoritarian.
