Mod note: please no callouts by username, thank you.
As shown in the attached images, a large number of Pikmin players have been spamming “likes” within a short period to change the cover photos to ones that violate the rules. Although these photos are typically removed three days after being reported, the cycle repeats every time a removal occurs. It remains unclear whether Wayfarer officials can also penalize the accounts that “liked” these non-compliant photos.
This is ridiculous for this photo to have even been accepted, much less to have 100+ likes. Agree having to report this photo to help chat for removal is not the solution if this is happening often. I wonder if the people who thumbed this will also be investigated when it is reported? Maybe mention that in the report?
In my view, there is a systemic reason why this behavior persists: photos are not actually removed from the database even after being taken down. Instead, this actually makes players more eager to obtain these “limited-time” postcards.
I believe that when a photo is removed for violating Wayfarer guidelines, it should simultaneously be deleted from the database used by the game; only then can the incentive for such abuse be completely eliminated.
Yes! When Pikmin Bloom obtains a postcard, it stores the image URL. Therefore, even if the photo is removed from Wayfarer, it will still remain in your postcard album; removing it from Wayfarer only ensures that it cannot be obtained again.
Given that people can like a photo from within a game without ever touching Wayfarer, or coming into contact with the Wayfarer rules, I don’t think it would be fair to penalise the ‘likers’.
Incidentally, does anyone know the reasoning behind the ‘no animals’ rule? I can’t quite get my head around what negative consequences such a photo could have for Scopely / originally have had for Niantic.
I’m following the topic as I had not known about this issue.
As far as animals being in a picture there are a few reasons it’s not wanted. First focusing or including an animal could obscure the photo representation of the actual Wayspot. Secondly, nominators could use their pet as a form of signature to influence local reviewers.
Even if the official team receives reports and removes photos violating the rules, these photos will still remain in the game — ironically, this leads some Pikmin players to believe they are “limited edition” or “rare” postcards.
If the Scopely/Wayfarer Team doesn’t change this rule, these players will continue to upload violating photos, such as those featuring fake landscapes, animals, AI-generated rainbows, or aurora borealis, and will rush to change wayspot photos (by likes) before the system update, even if it’s only for a day or two.
Indeed, they’ve even created “wayspot like groups”, thanking the new Wayfarer website’s function!
I can appreciate the ‘obscuring’ issue, though I would mark that down as a poor quality photo. Hadn’t considered the pet angle, though yes, you do get the ‘here is my dog’ photos from time to time.
I still probably wouldn’t reject an image that contained a wild animal if it didn’t detract from the photo subject though.
(To be clear that is very much not the case in the fox photo here!)
