Taking a look at Tag abuse on Steemit - a new project
Using the wrong TAG.
Tag abuse, wrong tagging, is a real growing problem on the platform!
Popular tags are often abused to get more eyes on the posts and this not the way to go! To try and change things around @ma1neevent and me have started to send out replies to those accounts who keep posting irrelevant content to the wrong tags!
Right now we are focusing on the introduce-yourself tag but we are sure there are many more popular tags being used in the wrong way.
We believe in trying to talk first before using power and scare new members/ older members away from the platform. New members have a hard time in finding their way and with a friendly reminder, we hope to open their eyes and guide them in the right way here on Steemit! Hopefully, a soft hand can start something good for the whole platform.
In a time span of 1 hour, I already found 7 different accounts using the introduce-yourself tag for irrelevant content. I checked their account to have a look at previous posts to make sure they are really using the tag in most of their posts.
After the check, I have send them all a personal reply without upvoting or flagging.
We would really like your feedback on this and replies will be highly appreciated by both me and @ma1neevent.
A few months ago I saw someone who posting 6 post in an hour with the introduceyourself tag!
I didn't down vote them however I did leave a stern message explaining that it was an abuse of the tag.
Nice work babe, here's an apple for Snekky 🍎❤️
Yes, that is what I am seeing as well and it makes me shake my head. There are no written rules but I feel like when something frustrates me I need to at least try and change it. I am not a person who will downvote so, I like the talking first. Hopefully this project will inpire more people to also reach out and guide!
Thank you for your feedback! Much appreciated!
<3
Snekky is thankful for her apple!
That's basically what we are thinking as well... Just letting them know that it's frowned upon a bit, especially for introducteyourself or other very specific tags. Hopefully it will help clean up some of those tags a bit. Luckily I have seen a few people actually change the tags after I left the comment, which was nice to see. 😎
Quite often new adopters just need guidance. I'm sure we can all remember how frustrating it was was when our posts were getting 5-6 votes for 1-2 cents.
Repeat offenders who abuse the system are the ones to target more sternly.
Nice work guys 😉
Real humans curating, very good. The bots running around claiming "tag spam" on posts they cannot even read just about ran me off the platform. I was introducing my first REAL WORLD friend joining steemit, it did run her off. The post made less than a quarter, which was actually more than my post when I tried to introduce myself so some consideration of how much damage this "tag abuse" is actually doing bears consideration also.
I wish that hadn't happened to you. You were doing great things here, and I feel we all lost something when your fish net stalking award went away. Of course, I won that award, so I am a little biased - but in a good way. That award helped retain me on this site. I wish that had been considered. I am glad you are still around.
Thank you SO MUCH. That was like a little Christmas present... :)
I am proud to know you!
I am sorry you had this happen to you! It's good to see that you are still here with us all! We are going to do our best!
Thank you so much for your feedback!
Thank you for the kind words, and for tackling this with human compassion not bots. Another "frequent abuse" I see is just sad. There are people DESPERATE to interact with the English speaking community here, so they probably cut and paste a phrase they do not even understand and use it to comment and no one likes those comments... but if they do not speak English telling them "That is considered spam around here" in English is still a failure to communicate lol! There HAS to be a better way to get newbies up to speed... I am glad someone as sensitive as you is trying!
(Photo from a google "free photo" search)
"GOOD LUCK, Y'ALL. DON'T TAG SPAM!!!"
This is a great initiative. It can be very frustrating to look through a certain tag only to discover that 6 out of 10 posts are mistagged. Keep up the good work!
Yes, and when its a mistake that is really not a bad thing but what really frustrates me are those accounts who do it on purpose and don't even write a post! They just post one picture and that 5 or 6 times per hour. This really needs to stop in my opinion
I agree. Disgusting underwear pics tagged as art... Pics taken from artist's Instagram pages and turned into one pic posts...
It's discouraging. Very brave of you two to step up like this.
This is a good initiative. I’ve been checking the #introduceyourself tag to welcome new members, but I’m seeing irrevelant posts. And its so nice of you to warn the person first before flagging the post because sometimes newbies don’t know proper tagging yet. I’ve also been warned once because of using steemit tag. That’s how I got to learn that we can’t just use tags anytime we want. Comments really helps educating minnows like us, so we could familiarize how the system works. ☺️
I had no idea there were rulz for the steemit tag!!!! What are they? Just in case I ever want to use it lol.
There aren't really specific "rules" that I know of, but when people use a tag just to get more views and it is not relevant to the content that is intended to be featured, that's when it is an issue for me I guess. It helps lessen confusion for newer members in my opinion as well.
Oh - I was more thinking of it being a mistake. But yeah - if they are doing it on purpose for votes - destroy them :)
When I just started I used the wrong tags as well and I got told in a nice way that I was doing it wrong! This helped me a lot! If we can help the new members this way I will be very happy! We are all humans and we all make mistakes. But the spammers who do it on purpose..... That is also a huge problem.
Thank you for your feedback.
Personally, I may also have sinned, a good guide to using the right tag would be great. in fag only a few irrelevant explanations. but I often think that I use the wrong tag
We have all sinned and learned! :D
We are all human beings!
There are no written rules for tagging but its better that we come around and tell them what might be better than a big angry whale who will flag right away lol!
Thank you for your feedback!
thx for the nice comment
I believe many newbies do use the wrong tag for some posts simply because they want to use all 5 tags and they don't quite know where it fits outside of its main context/content. I myself have done so, once, and was informed with a reply.
I believe that replying to the post is a good first step. Guidance is certainly better than reprimand and it offers those Steemians that are making honest mistakes the opportunity to learn and grow in the community.
I,m sure there are people on Steemit who abuse tags constantly using only the most popular tags to gain viewers. Those people should be dealt some sort of punishment. Many Steemians, myself included, don't want to use their power to reprimand and take away from people who deserve to be noticed.
Maybe you could try a 'black-ball' system. Create an image or .gif that you could reply to these people and let the word out on Steemit that any post that has that symbol in their comments should NOT be upvoted. Or something like that. Kind of a scarlet letter thing. Maybe. Or maybe I'm just crazy.
I am all for guidance and talking to people first before using any kind of power! Many new members have no idea and what they need is help instead of being shouted at. Its not who I am or how I want to work. I believe in kindness :D Even when that is sometimes hard in the world.
Thank you for your feedback, its much appreciated!
I really appreciate you guys so much, you are doing some very important work on the blockchain!! I've noticed this tag abuse as well myself and just end up shaking my head lol
Its annoying! :D
Thank you for your feedback and always kind words! We appreciate that more than you know!
To me you are the perfect steemer!
Awwwww thank you so much @poeticsnake!!!
:blush: lol :P
Excellent project! "Thank you!" for taking this on! 😊
You are welcome :D
It needs to be done, but in a nice and kind way!
I agree that ill-fitting post tags are being abused. I am glad you guys are educating first as some will be unaware. This post has been deemed resteem & upvote worthy by your friendly @eastcoaststeem ran by @chelsea88 (not a bot)
I will personally be trying to do this under the #introduceyourself and #promo-steem tags, as those are for a purpose. I also will not be flagging, but rather leaving comments letting users know about how the tags work. It has already been working, and people are changing the tags to something more appropriate. Other Curators are encouraged to do this as well, as it will only help the platform in the long run.
I also believe it will help the platform! I am focusing on the intro tag mostly because I really want those who use this tag to get know in a good way and spend a lot of time writing their post to get the eyes they deserve!