I tried nominating a local residential footbridge, and it got automatically rejected Niantic Wayfarer
It didn’t say why it got removed, and won’t let me appeal it; is there another way to try and get it appealed?
Have you done any appeals recently? They are rate limited, so if you used some already, you’ll have to wait for them to refresh.
On the other hand, it seems pretty generic.
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It appears to have been rejected by the “Machine Learning” (a type of AI) process that automatically screens all submissions. We don’t know much about the workings of it but a lot of people speculate that ML rejects when it can’t “focus” on an object being submitted - think using ocular recognition on a big photo and it struggling to focus on any object.
Like @nexushoratio said, we’re rate limited - 2 appeals, each on a 20 day timer. You may need to wait a bit if you’ve used some up. Check your emails and you might be able to figure out when you’ll have some available.
I don’t think I’d appeal it, though. I’d try re-submitting, first, after getting some better photos and text. Appeals are a little more “precious” than finding ways to improve and resubmit.
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Ah I see, I did appeal something recently. I’ll probably try re-submitting then if I go out again today, any tips to get a better photo of the bridge?
I would probably crop the photo similar to this, maybe even from a vantage point a few feet to the left. I’d include the bridge in the support photo, too, rather than a picture of some driveways.
For text… It’s not part of a trail, it’s not “scenic” over a viewing area. It would need to be a great place to Socialize, Exercise, and Explore. I’m not quite sure at the moment how best to connect. I do like bridges that do re-connect communities divided by throughways and other infrastructure that separates people, but this feels a little stretching.
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Ok I’m back to trying to get this one accepted 
I took some new pictures and uploaded it, ofc the stupid AI automatically rejected it (can we talk about how annoying that is too?) so I appealed it and it still get rejected and I’m really like I feel like it should have been accepted since I did provide historical and cultural context to it, plus I would argue it’s unique to me since there aren’t bridges like this around here
I also have the S2 block map here too, it looks like it hasn’t been updated in a while but I’ve been slowly adding the stops and gyms that weren’t there yet, I got it filled out pretty well to what’s near me and what I remember, the spot where the bridge is doesn’t have anything but the bridge is sorta split so possibly if I move the marker on the side where the squares are unpopulated
Hello
I will try and give my thoughts on this bridge and the other points.
First, yes it is frustrating when you get an auto rejection by the system (nickname Emily). Especially when it keeps happening. We all take time make submissions that we craft so that another human could consider it. However if you get repeated rejections it means that what you are submitting is likely ( balance of probabilities) to be at best a weak candidate. This is annoying but it’s something we have to live with.
My views on this bridge.
If I go back to first principles this sort of bridge is unlikely to meet criteria. We can rule out socialisation as this is not providing a location to socialise.
Exploration. This would mean it would need to be a place you visit to look at the bridge as a structure to appreciate it in its own right. Having seen the close up pictures it is very standard. I expect the simple mesh was added later as a safety measure which wasn’t as much of a concern in the 1950s. It is a simple utility feature for those on foot.
Note - ”whimsical” is in my view not a word to use here.
Exercise. Footbridges can assist exercise. Typically this is the case on a defined longer walking route, the pay help progress and are a way mark feature. From what you have presented this is not the case here. It is not part of a published walking trail. The information about providing a safer route is I feel not relevant. So it fails to be acceptable.
If you are to appeal, exercise is your best angle but it is tenuous.
Personally I think Emily is getting this one right.
If the bridge itself is not good what alternatives are there for this location?
I am very much in favour of active citizenship. I have no idea what your local set up is like. Perhaps start to lobby the appropriate authorities to come up with and promote some set distance walking and running routes around your area with some official signage as part of it.
Is there anything interesting about the creek? Again could the authorities be interested in promoting some biodiversity. A unique bug hotel or a sign. Schools can often get involved in these sorts of projects as they are very educational. If it’s public land is there a possibility of locating a little free library?
Not quick solutions but some of these if enacted could benefit the wider community.
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Do check the information on this map carefully. It can be inaccurate.
We are at difficult point at the moment as we don’t have a map
#weneedamap 
That is accurate, comprehensive and updated.
I would recommend using IITC which uses Ingress Data. Since the split this map and it’s wayspot data is diverging from wayfarer but it is still probably more accurate than the one you are using.
So basically this is a health warning on using the map.
It feels as though there is an assumption by some people that all footbridges should be wayspots. This is definitely not true.
It also feels as if the op thinks every cell deserves stops and gyms. This is also definitely not true.
I am also guilty of hunting through areas without wayspots to find things to submit, but if I don’t find anything, then I accept that that area simply doesn’t have anything. No area /deserves/ wayspots.
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Emily [Mod Edit] absolutely HATES my submissions 
loljk(sorta)
Ok so socialization makes sense, it’s not somewhere you’d go to socialize.
Exploration I would argue because if you do look at the local area there aren’t too many unique areas to explore, all the parks are a fair distance away, so if people want to just walk locally around the neighborhood and not 1 mile+ there’s not too many places to explore. In addition to that since it is so heavily suburban it’s all houses, the creek that the bridge crosses and all the plants that bloom around it make it a far more lovely walk, so it feels more whimsical to me than the main road where you get honked at.
Exercise is a good angle cause I would say that’s its main purpose. I think it’s pretty unfair to not consider it because again consider the area, it’s a dense suburban area, there’s not going to be walking trails in this area since most of the neighborhoods have some sidewalks. Which I need to add that a lot of neighborhoods in this area have inconsistent sidewalks, half of the neighborhood will have a sidewalk and the other half won’t (usually in the more underserved part of the neighborhood) so I feel like having a stop in an area with actual sidewalks is equivalent to walking trails getting stops. Like my friend that moved to Idaho has a footbridge by her house that’s a pokestop and I don’t really necessarily see the difference aside from ones in a more rural, scenic area and the other is in a suburb. Both are on a path that people will take to walk.
That’s the thing with trying to get the local authorities to set anything up, this is an unincorporated area of LA county so it’s underserved since there isn’t representation like other incorporated parts of the county have so it’s hard to have stuff undated around here, I really am looking around my neighborhood and picking out the small interesting things that stand out to me since we don’t really have much that isn’t generic or like liquor stores lmaooo which tbh I’ve been thinking of nominating my local one anyways since everyone hangs out there and they recuse stray cats, and honestly I’ve seen vape shops be pokestops 
You might be misunderstanding what the “Exploration” aspect is about. It isn’t about whether something helps you explore an area, but whether that POI in itself is worth exploring.
So for a footbridge, regarding exploration, the question is “would someone come to visit this footbridge” or “would you take someone to this footbridge to show them because it’s interesting”.
For this footbridge, the answer is a firm NO. The only potential aspect for this footbridge is Exercise. Pavements also assist with exercise, but that doesn’t make them POI.
Also, don’t base your understanding of “can this be a pokestop” on the other pokestops you see, because some low quality stuff makes it through plus the criteria have changed over the years.
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Actually I have took people to show them this footbridge many times so I would argue that it’s worth exploring, which is why I find that point to be very subjective . Ok even based on the criteria I’d say it meets two in MY opinion and based on the context of the location
The evaluation of a wayspot for Exploration is subjective, as is Socialisation and Exercise. The entire process of wayspot review is subjective. Your opinion is that this footbridge is worthy of exploration, which is explicitly subjective. Reviewers are extremely likely to look at the photo and come to the opposite opinion.
Ok you get what I mean anyways, look if you’re not going to help me figure a way to have other reviewers find the value I do in it then, please kindly don’t respond 
I think its fair to say there are different opinions here and I interpret the comments by @salixsorbus as simply wanting the same type acknowledgement of the different view as you do.
As a general point I think everyone is respecting each others views. Since @phoenixxed is requesting a focus on a way that might make this POI acceptable can future responses focus on that aspect.
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Well you should try different angle again. Dont use same photo. I have picnic table rejected by AI. I need to change photo few times before it got through.
Anyway, i believe things like this is easier to be approved from community route. As long you can get it pass AI.
I understand you wanting positive feedback. But when this has been rejected through the normal process and the appeal has been denied and experieced Wayfinders in the forum are telling you that it doesn’t meet criteria…that is your answer. We can’t make miracles happen.
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I may try to get a picture from the side, I’ve seen footbridges on walking paths with that angle pass before.
@seaprincesshnb I see what you’re saying, and I’m saying I find it to meet criteria. It seems like the criteria the other wayfarers are using makes more sense in a different region, like my friend that lives in Idaho has a footbridge that’s a pokestop behind her house because there’s a walking path. There just isn’t going to be a walking path in a heavily suburbanized area, especially one that’s underserved by our local government. So I’m trying to have the other wayfarers understand that if someone wants to go for a short walk around the neighborhood there’s nothing there, you need to walk at least a mile away. Plus there aren’t sidewalks in the whole neighborhood, where that bridge is is one of the few places in the neighborhood with a sidewalk.
I get you. Unfortunately, the Wayfarer criteria isn’t “get wayspots where it is possible to take a walk.” There is real guidance on how we should evaluate nominations, and this just isn’t passing any of those. Everyone wants a wayspot close to home but the game isn’t called Pokemon CLOSE TO HOME, it’s called Pokemon GO.