Keeping Connect a clean place

[ErmesT]

I started as a Local Guide in this community on October 6, 2016

One of the most painful experience, after a long time, is too see how many people try to use this community for self promotion.

We have a tool, for keeping the community clean. Reporting posts that are not adhering to the rules. We can report in a very simple way, following the indications coming from: How do I report inappropriate content on Connect? written by @AriMar a few days ago.

But there is something that, mostly in the last days, is making me very sad: Active, High Level Local Guides, that are giving likes to post that are clear spam, advertisement, self promotion of business activities, with links to their website.

I do not need to share names. The spam has been removed, Moderators are cleaning everyday the community, the likes sent in quarantine with the spam, but the discomfort will remain, in the daily conversation with these LGs. Why to support, why to encourage a spammer? This is the doubt that will remain in my mind, when talking with them. Are you really doing this? Or you give a Like to everyone, without reading the post?

I already started, one year ago, LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld project, and honestly I think that there is no need to start now a LocalGuidesCleanConnect project.

Working together, discouraging the spammers, we are already able to keep this community clean and beautiful.

I want to share a picture with you: an Ecological Operator is Cleaning Venice. This part of Venice (coloured, square shapes) remind me to the main page of our community, that I would love to see clean like that part of Venice

[deepakjhic]

Hehehe,

Thank you for pointing it out @ErmesT . You’ve wrote in a proper way… Many local guides gives kudo only for their new badge.

Kudos…

[JohnPeter]

Thanks dear @ErmesT for your excellent way of connecting “clean project” with connect forum. I also thank all the moderators who are involved to make the connect spam free.

[PaulPavlinovich]

Yes indeed @ErmesT I know the feeling. I think you and I notice it most on our weekends because there are less of us online undertaking the hunt for poor content. Keep up the good work my friend and don’t feel disheartened. Even high level Local Guides can travel a path outside the rules and expectations. It is why I always speak out against calls to restrict function X in Maps or function Y in Connect to high level LG because plenty of them are untrustworthy. Fortunately the majority of people in this world are generally good and some go out of their way to keep things clean. Hugs to you mate. Take cheer from every spam you kill. I certainly do :).

[ErmesT]

I smile for sure @PaulPavlinovich

but I am not happy of this.

I understand spam, I don’t really understand spam supporters

[ErmesT]

Hehe @deepakjhic

Maybe we should tell them that the higher badge is 10.000 Likes.

Just to avoid any injury on their fingers (^_^)

[ErmesT]

Thank you @JohnPeter

Keeping this community a clean place is the basic point, if we also want to have a clean planet

[Marichams]

I think that spam can be relative @ErmesT , see two examples to illustrate that idea:

1. I posted a series of photos in an experience I knew I was going to be asked to give more info about, so I left a link to where anyone could find more info. It was initially banned as spam and then unbanned because moderators realised that in my case it was not for the self promotion that you mention, but to open the door to enrich the conversation without reaching such a lengthy amount of words in one same post.

2. I have been coming to Connect on waves comming for a few days constantly and then disappearing, only to come back again. I do it every once in a while, but when I am here… I AM, and therefore I will interact a lot, drop a bunch of likes, comments and posts. While for some, the huge amount of consecutive likes/comments/posts might be seen as spammy, in my case I just make the most out of my time here in the platform and if I see something attractive and I <3 it and if I remember a nice photo or story that I shared somewhere else, I will adapt it to this platform and share it here.

In both cases anyone could see spam when I see “making the best out of my time here”, therefore I guess that “spammy” behaviours can somehow be relative, and that only with time can you really tell if the actions were span intended or not.

What do you think of this perspective?! Does it make any sense for you?

[ErmesT]

I agree with you that there is spam and SPAM. @Marichams

I am not talking about a link posted by an unaware Local Guides, I am talking about something that, fortunately, most of the local guides don’t have time to see, because a large numbers of Moderators act normally in minutes, removing the post. I am talking about clear advertisement, series of posts of car dealer, software house, shops, sometime “call girls” (to use a polite world). Last series of a post offering sexual services was removed a couple of days ago. This is what I mean. It makes me very sad to see that this kind of post has one or two likes.

When I talk about series of likes given without opening a post, I am talking about series of 300 likes given in 20 minutes to the same local guide from a single Local Guide. The record that I have seen was of 800, if I remember correctly, in less than two hours, given to a LG from a level one, that signed on connect minutes before.

That’s what I mean. That’s why I am inviting the responsible Local Guides to help.

Hope this can clarify what I mean, and why is painful for me to see some behaviour.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Having this kind of feedback is the reason of this post

[Marichams]

WOW! That is indeed an escalation and while we may differ in what the “soft spam” is, the hard SPAM is indeed undeniable. You guys should make a book about the craziest things you have seen or read here, because that list you are mentioning, from car dealers to call girls… That’s a post or book I would definitely check out!

I took the liberty to express my point of view in such a detailed fashion precisely because I understood that in this post you were more than pointing out a fact, opening up a conversation, so thanks for doing so @ErmesT ! It seems that it is even more needed than I am able to identify! (which also means that moderators and filters are doing a good job, kudos in that!)

[ErmesT]

A book will not be so interesting @Marichams

Well, being a moderators is challenging, from this point of view, and it change your feeling of the community. We know that the filter is sometimes very sensitive, so every day Googlers are moving good post out of quarantine, but is needed.

Well, I believe that you, like me, love to have people reading your posts, and responding in there, thanking you for the beautiful photos, instead of just dropping a like without opening it, as you spent time for making it, you choose your best photos. This is how I see the community, on the deep meaning of the word. A place for sharing contents, and receiving feedback, learning from each other.

Thank you for taking time for responding, on a post that was unnoticed, or maybe too difficult to reply

[Marichams]

Nothing goes unnoticed if it is in >Google @ErmesT

You are more than welcome, my pleasure to be part of the conversation!

[AdamGT]

Let me break down the door on this one @ErmesT , yet another good post I missed! Yes I agree, perhaps this post should be reposted

[ErmesT]

Well, there is an interesting fact about this post, @bmuu : the only NEW Local Guide (she started to post on March '19) is @Marichams . I have been so fortunate to meet this concentrate of pure energy in San Jose last year.

Next answer is yours

[AdamGT]

Well @ErmesT , at this moment I’m lost for words which truly is unusual for me

[ErmesT]

What I mean is that maybe posting again and again about this subject will only be interesting for the Local Guides that, like you, are already are contributing on a Good Way, sharing interesting and original point of view, @AdamGT .

To engage more Local Guides I believe that we just need to insist doing what we better do, writing good post, showing the way, being original and creative, creating emulation. We are Guide, isn’t it?

And we must do what we find interesting, we can’t loose our fun. Personally, I simply stopped to read everyday the achievement board…

Have a great day

[AdamGT]

Yes I understand what you mean now @ErmesT , I was just lost for words because of the wine and the dancing in the low lit room But yes, we just need to keep doing it the right way, writing interesting and good posts, being original and creative, guiding the way! BTW I too have been thinking about an idea for the Achievements board…we’ll see!

Ciao

[Marichams]

That photo is so magical @ErmesT , undoubtedly one of my favourite shots of that incredible experience. The pleasure was mine, to have met you and being able to share so many thoughts as we did, in such a small amount of time. Hoping I will have the honour to meet you again, regardless of when, why or where.

And @AdamGT : in the shot there was no dancing, just pure eye contact and silent communication, one so powerful I can still remember clearly, months later.