Observation: Submission reordering

I submitted about 20 potential waypoints a few days ago. Interestingly, a couple have jumped the queue and are now “in voting” ahead of other submissions I make a few weeks before.

Just an observation to share. I presume this reordering was the work of the ML for some reason.

Yes, this is not FIFO (first in, first out). It is randomized so that any Explorer (or group of Explorers) can’t dominate their area.

1 Like

i think the system also takes into account if there is already a load of stops in a geographical area and will priotroise Reviews in lackluster areas over dencly populated areas. (in terms of POI’s in the area)

although dont quote me on this

1 Like

Except… that doesn’t work.

With pure randomization, if I submit 100x as many portals as you do then the probability of my being selected is still 100x as high as yours.

With FIFO, you’re guaranteed to get your portal seen in due time. With randomization, you could literally wait forever and never even be considered. Granted, the probability changes, but if I keep submitting portals then you’re going to be drowned out. Randomization is worse.

Of course, they may have something more complex than simple randomization.

In this case, though, I submitted all of the portals in question. And they’re all from the same general area. So submitter and probably area are identical.

Mine were all more or less the same general area. But I will keep that in mind and see whether it seems to fit for me.

Ive noticed this in my own submissions when trying to fill out a park. 3 different sets of 2 wayspots I submitted that were really close together were effected by it. Each set of 2 had 1 in voting and 1 in queue. It stayed like that till the 1 in voting was approved and then the other went into voting. Im assuming its a duplicate protection for a certain distance around in case multiple people come and submit the same thing. 1 will go in voting and the others on hold until the 1 in voting is cleared up. Thats at least what ive observed and pieced together.

1 Like

Yes, nominations within the same cell (not sure which size, but I’ll guess 100m square) will single thread. If you nominated them, or someone else - one at a time will be randomly chosen, and the others will wait for it to resolve. If you care what order they’re processed, you can put all but one on hold, then when that one is resolved, release another.

This is all user observation - not official word from Niantic about their “secret sauce”.

2 Likes

Makes some sense. I may try that.