With the recently announced changes to the enforcement ladder, we’re seeing a lot of people visiting this forum for the first time. Some are excited about the changes, while others are understandably concerned about what they could mean for the future of Wayfarer.
I want to address both groups.
First, to those who are excited because they believe their Pokémon GO accounts are no longer at risk:
I’d ask you to be respectful of the people who have spent countless hours reviewing nominations, submitting Wayspots, reporting abuse, and working to create a clean and accurate map for everyone.
If your biggest concern has been protecting your Pokémon GO account, I’d encourage you to put that same energy into reading, learning, and understanding the Wayfarer criteria. Knowing what makes a good Wayspot, and more importantly, what doesn’t, is the best way to avoid running into problems in the first place.
Some of us have been doing this since the Ingress days, long before Pokémon GO players could submit nominations. We’ve reviewed and nominated thousands of Wayspots without ever receiving a strike because we took the time to understand the criteria and follow them.
Here’s what I think some newer participants may not realize.
When longtime Wayfarers hear someone say, “Great! My Pokémon GO account isn’t at risk anymore, so now I can nominate!” it can raise some red flags.
Whether that’s your intention or not, it can sound like the only thing previously preventing you from submitting questionable nominations was the possibility of consequences.
I’m not saying that’s true of everyone who is excited about the changes. But I am asking you to understand why that kind of statement concerns people who have invested years in maintaining the quality of the map.
Now, to my fellow longtime Wayfarers:
We may not all agree with the changes to the enforcement ladder. I certainly understand the concerns. But the changes have been announced, and spending all our time arguing about them isn’t going to improve the map.
What we can control is how we respond.
This is an opportunity to educate people.
When someone asks why their nomination was rejected, explain the criteria. When someone misunderstands what makes a good Wayspot, help them understand. When someone is genuinely trying to learn, welcome them into the community.
And yes, when you encounter actual abuse, report it.
Keep reviewing. Keep submitting quality nominations. Keep helping people understand the difference between a great place to explore, exercise, or socialize and something that simply doesn’t meet the criteria.
Most importantly, be civil to one another.
We all benefit from a better map, whether we’ve been here since the Ingress days or submitted our very first nomination yesterday.
The enforcement ladder may have changed, but the criteria haven’t. And neither should our commitment to building a quality map.
Rant over.
I know what he states is correct and we have to make the best of what we have now been given. I still don’t like it. Will I ever get back to reviewing the numbers I was, probably not.