Vanguard Program Update?
Help article:
Becoming a Vanguard
Niantic will hold an open call for volunteers starting in August 2019. Every year after that, applications to be a Vanguard will be accepted in January on a continuing annual basis.
January has just ended. Any updates? Now we have only 30 vanguards while 36 participants were announced.
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Still not sure what they do. First time I saw one was because he tried to censor one of my posts here.
We reached out to them regarding a bad actor, using multiple accounts, both factions, etc. It was an ongoing issues for literally months. Nothing ever came of it, even with the help of the vanguards. All accounts are still active and being used. Definitely had many of us at wits end and seeing very obvious actions repeated day after day, with no action from Niantic, was a little disheartening to say the least. Not the fault of the vanguards involved, but put a sour taste in my mouth for the game in general. Please see the dying thread for my thoughts on that, lol
well Brian said they are hiring a community manager so maybe things soon will change.
It's my understanding that Vanguards are supposed to represent a cross-section of players, be a speaking board between the community and Niantic. So why is it that most of the Vanguards are not active on these forums? I only ever see one truly engaging with the community here, maybe one or two more on the rare occasion.
I get that it's a voluntary role and that nothing is explicitly mentioned to visit the forums, plus they would have their own things going on, but if they want to be taken seriously as community representatives, then why aren't they here?
Let's do some profile stalking and check their stats:
18 of 36 Vanguards have not been on the forums this year (2021), 17 of these have not been active in the last six months. 16 have made 10 or less posts.
3 don't even have the Vanguard role added to their profiles! (Maybe they are no longer Vanguards? I don't know)
The ones that have been active in 2021 have made a cumulative of 8,671 visits out of a total of 10,110 Vanguard visits (85%)
Not to mention one doesn't even have a profile!
The Niantic Support page says that they provide direct feedback to Niantic to enhance the player experience for game features. A lot of ideas and such gets posted and discussed on the forums, so why don't they all work together to review and provide their input and filter the suggestions to Brian? Rather than Brian wasting his time on these forums when he could be focussing on enhancing the player experience instead!
I also wonder how many Vanguards are actively scanning portals, because there doesn't seem to be much player advocacy in regards to that (at least definitely not on the forums). This could be checked by looking at their profiles, but I'm too lazy to ping everybody lol
According to above, I saw somewhere that the vanguards can chose which platform they can use. I do like the forums but it has a big language barrier for non-English speaking players (and non-Japanese speaking, too).
Only way they are vanguards is that they regularly check with the GCM, as stated in the support documents. I still see them as the people in-between, they have no power and have to hear all the rants that originally should head to Niantic. My last interaction with a vanguard was still effective, the disastrous Wayfarer event last February in Korea was sorted out fast when I passed the problems a vanguard. I also seen some vanguards do the reset portal things. Maybe that's all Niantic wants from them. Passing the information, and doing the on-field things.
Vanguard's role is primarily to give player feedback to Niantic. They aren't meant to provide us with information from Niantic and almost never do because of the NDA.
I feel like people have a far higher opinion of the role of a Vanguard, than the program actually requires.
What @Perringaiden said. We're a sounding board FOR Niantic, not a go-between for Niantic and players. We are there to engage with Niantic. We may choose to engage with players, but that it completely voluntary and not a requirement at all.
Connecting with Vanguards
Each Vanguard determines their availability and manner in which they choose to engage with fellow Ingress Agents. Some Vanguards may be more open than others to chat directly with other players. The program does not require Vanguards to maintain any availability to respond to Agent inquiries.
@oscarc1 In addition to the above from @Azhreia I would also like to add that a large portion of my personal time is split between various places that Agents communicate. This includes various Discord servers, Telegram groups, Telegram DMs, Reading /r/Ingress Reddit threads and lurking the community forums. I don't post as often as others but I read and lurk frequently.
What are the requirements to be a Vanguard? Did those Vanguards undergo a rigorous background/vetting process? How does Niantic make sure that the agent does not abuse his/her Vanguard position? I ask the above questions because there are agents who have Vanguard badges and don’t lead a good example for other agents. Actions range from engaging in inappropriate gameplay, such as harassment, stealing VR items from another agent, cyberstalking, &, etc. While another Vanguard who is also a local community leader knowingly did not warn new agents which areas have toxic players.
Post about opening applications: https://community.ingress.com/en/discussion/2952/alliance-of-vanguards-applications
Support Page on Vanguards: https://niantic.helpshift.com/a/ingress/?s=agent-protocol&f=about-the-alliance-of-the-vanguards-program&p=web
And specifically:
What does “good standing” mean?
All selected applicants have to pass an Ingress player background check performed by NIA OPS. If a player has ever received multiple warnings or a ban due to a violation of the Terms of Service (TOS), they are not eligible to be a Vanguard. Note that Niantic reserves the right to deny any applicant for any reason.
Thanks for answering my above questions. Follow-up question, has Niantic ever revoke a Vanguard badge and/or active Vanguard position if the agent was found and proven to violate the Terms of Service (TOS)?
I assume you're referring to the scanner Vanguard badge? That is a birthday badge awarded to all agents that were active in Year 3 of Ingress, and is not related to the Vanguard program. Vanguards do not have a scanner badge.
Vanguards are subject to the TOS as much as any other player, and would receive the same penalties for contravening them.
Vanguards have been removed before yes. They don't tend to advertise it, but it has happened at least a couple of times.
You have a Vanguard forum badge for being a Vanguard.
I can't speak for the original group of Vanguards, but for the second round added in September 2019 all removals were from individuals who voluntarily stepped down.
I don't think that's what he was referring to. And I was specific on scanner badge :P
What about the original group of Vanguards? Are some of them still active or they were removed from their previous position as stated by Perringaiden.
Wonder what might happened. I remember like 3 in the same week.
There are several of us from the first group that are still active