Missions that use Public Domain images.
I've recently started creating missions, both for myself and to add new banners for Second Sundays etc. I find the current rejection messages are both a massive headache for mission creators and a source of much additional work for your approval team.
There are 2 issues I've had recently, with one ongoing.
I'm trying to put a 6 part banner up with images taken from the James Webb Space Telescope which are clearly provided as Public Domain images with no asserted copyright by NASA/STScI
"Unless otherwise specifically stated, no claim to copyright is being asserted by STScI and material on this site may be freely used as in the public domain in accordance with NASA's contract."
https://webbtelescope.org/copyright
The rejection message I'm getting is:
Thanks for submitting Earth to Space JWST [1/6]. Unfortunately, we were not able to accept your Mission. Your Mission may have one or more of the following issues:
- Use of an image or text that isn't yours or that you don't have rights to use or that consists of a logo
There is no way to prove that the images are in public domain and therefore we have the right to use them other than the description, but you can't, (and isn't appropriate to), put links and proof in there.
I know other people have had the same images approved so the inconsistency is a nightmare for people trying to add content and create missions, which I'm sure you want to happen.
The second issue is the generic nature of the following error:
"Thanks for submitting Explore Newcastle [16/18]. Unfortunately, we were not able to accept your Mission. Your Mission may have one or more of the following issues:
- Text or images that reveal information about your identity or another player's identity, including (but not limited to) real names, phone numbers, addresses, etc.
- An image with identifiable people or faces
- Full or partial codenames/Agent names (e.g., "Mission idea from @neo" or "this is neo's favorite lunch spot," etc.)
- Clues or passphrases that require contacting a certain person to get the answer"
It turned out to be an image with a tiny hidden face on it, but it took me 6 attempts and rejections to scour the image to find it. Why give such generic rejections, when they person rejecting it knows exactly that its the image or the text or the passphrase that's the issue. That's 6 reviews of that mission that could have been saved by me knowing where to look after the first rejection.
The new review speed is a massive improvement and a great step forwards, but it would be quicker and easier if we could avoid unnecessary repeat submissions if we had clearer rejections. Also a way to submit the image source / copyright status / rights proof would save a lot of these image ownership issues. Just like a portal nomination has a message for wayfarers, missions could benefit from the same.
@NianticThia Please help us to help you :)
Comments
The whole mission submit system needs to be re-made from scratch, question is , is niantic doing anything about this ? its probably a money issue and small team that already are busy doing other more important things. Its not really any revenue from people doing and submitting banners.
Whilst that's true and the mission creator is a bit of an archaic animal, implementing a tweak to allow for more accurate rejection notices can't be that much work. Granted I'm sure the approval team is not the development team, so its not a direct win on time saved, but I'm sure there would be a significant benefit to workload.
Nothing will happen, been trying to create a mural for a year now and I keep getting the same generic rejection message. I have even changed the image to where i get your mission description/subject does not match the scope of the mission. Which makes no sense to me. NIA will not do anything about it.
Submit a support ticket under "Questions about Scanner or Intel Map" and explain why the picture is public domain. That's what I do.
In fact, I'm currently arguing with them about whether I need to get a release from Gustav Klimt. I should check up on that ticket.
@NianticThia doesn't offer help here in the forums anymore, she stopped using the company provided forums sometime in June...
noticed that aswell ☹️
@mcwebtree @xk150 The email says photo OR TEXT. You assume it's your photo. Maybe it's not. Why not see if it's the text?
Maybe you're quoting an old song without knowing it, or using a celebrity's copyrighted tag-line. Maybe the mission text bad-word filter is jacked up.
Try removing portal descriptions, and changing your mission description to something generic, like "Hack these {someplace} portals to earn this mission badge." Replace {someplace} with the name of the park, type of portals (statues?, hot-spots?), or just leave that out.
They still use an outdated system for checking Missions so what's the point?
Still waiting for Second Sunday to not be about missions because you're pretty much screwed if you don't submit one at least the Thursday before
The entire point and reason they created Second Sunday is for doing missions, what else would you want it to be about? And it's on a schedule, it's every single second Sunday of every single month. If you can't plan more than three days ahead of time, then just wait until the next month to do the last-minute missions that you missed the deadline for.
I've created 13 different 6-mission sets using free public domain graphics from Canva and haven't ran into an issue getting them approved. I do very basic descriptions such as 'take a walk around town, state and explore' I plan them at least a month ahead of time but they tend to get approved within a week. Edits can take 3 to 5 weeks.
The announcement never stated missions.
Ingress Second Sunday #Ingress2S is a monthly event encouraging exploration and adventure. We are excited to announce a widely requested new profile medal for participating in Ingress Second Sunday events.
I can see them utilizing something like EOS Protocol where various actions can be done to meet a certain threshold. It shouldn't be a replacement for Mission Day when missions aren't even fast tracked.
I usually make banners with some thought to it especially if it's for exploring. I'm not going to make a half **** effort and IFS was kind of a driving force to the banners in the past.