The official name of a building POI was changed on my college campus and I have since been trying to submit a title edit to the corresponding in-game POI. Specifically, I proposed to change the name from “WashU Lab Sciences Building” to “Mark S. Wrighton Hall” (see first image below). Here is the official press release from the school verifying the name change. In addition, Google Maps displays an abbreviated version of the new name (i.e., “Wrighton Hall”). Moreover, the in-game description of the POI, which Niantic itself approved, explicitly describes how the building was renamed (see second image below). What reason could Niantic have for rejecting this accurate and valid title change on two separate occasions? To be clear, I am saying Niantic because both title changes (and the approved description change) went to Niantic’s internal review. Is there something I am missing or is Niantic’s internal review team getting this one wrong?
Unfortunately, not everyone who makes policies at Niantic is smart. Most people would look at this and see that one church is now another churchbuilding has had an official name change and would update the wayspot appropriately since it’s materially the same eligible thing in the same place, just with a different name.
The official stance from Niantic, which isn’t properly published anywhere, is that this is perfectly acceptable if one mural has been replaced by another mural, or by a graffiti tag, or by a single color splotch of paint, but that for any non-mural wayspots, it’s abuse to submit edits that improve the existing eligible wayspot with information about the still-eligible thing that is materially similar and currently present.
That’s so incredibly frustrating. The school literally announced: “Laboratory Sciences building to be named Mark S. Wrighton Hall”. It’s the exact same building – all they did was engrave an official name on it. It doesn’t make any sense that Niantic would want to actively block players from submitting name changes for POIs whose names changed in real-life but are otherwise EXACTLY the same. That seems irrational. And, as icing the cake, Niantic’s internal review approved my description that explicitly refers to the POI as “Wrighton Hall”. The hypocrisy is baffling.
@NianticAaron, can you please provide guidance on the policy that led to what would otherwise be a simple, innocuous, and accurate title update being repeatedly rejected by internal review despite the corresponding description suggestion, which references the very same title update, being approved by internal review?
Thank you for taking a look at this and implementing my title correction. I do think that many Wayfarers are frustrated with how analogous title edits are often rejected by the team (initially and then also on appeal) due to the notion that the POI is being improperly ‘repurposed’, when in fact the POI has not changed in any material way and the title is just being updated to reflect changes to the POI’s real-world name. Perhaps this policy and the way it is implemented can be reviewed in light of the community feedback. Thanks again.
I understand your sentiments. The reviewers may not have the context that you, as a submitter, have. So, when submitting an appeal, it may be useful to add context, support link etc.
When we were able to appeal with the help chat, we were able to attach photos as evidence for our appeals. Can this option be added to appeal button appeals.
