Guideline Changes & Clarifications, response to needs of evolving community

[Lumphammer]

Just spotted this on the main forum.

 

Click the Link

or read on (I copied and pasted the text as I couldn't work out how to quote it)

 

At Groundspeak, we recognize that geocaching continues to grow and evolve. We look for opportunities to make site improvements and changes to benefit geocaching and the global geocaching community. Following a long reflection on certain Geocaching.com web site policies, we believe it is time to make a few changes.

 

During this policy review, we actively sought out and listened to the opinions of a great many geocaching community members. We held internal discussions and read more than a few related messages within the Groundspeak Discussion Forums and elsewhere. As a result of this review and in the best interest of the geocaching community and geocaching in general, we have changed or clarified the following Geocaching.com policies. We believe it provides additional flexibility.

 

1. We have expanded and clarified what we mean by commercial cache listings:

 

The old Cache Guidelines say:

QUOTE

Commercial caches attempt to use the Geocaching.com web site cache reporting tool directly or indirectly (intentionally or non-intentionally) to solicit customers through a Geocaching.com listing. These are NOT permitted. Examples include for-profit locations that require an entrance fee, or locations that sell products or services. If the finder is required to go inside the business, interact with employees, and/or purchase a product or service, then the cache is presumed to be commercial.

 

The new Cache Guidelines will read as follows:

QUOTE

Commercial caches will not be published on geocaching.com without prior approval from Groundspeak. A commercial cache is a geocache listing or geocache which is perceived by Groundspeak, Groundspeak's employees, or the Volunteer Geocache Reviewers as having been submitted to geocaching.com with the principal or substantial intent of soliciting customers or generating commercial gain. The geocache is presumed to be commercial if the finder is required to go inside a business, interact with employees, and/or purchase a product or service, or if the cache listing has overtones of advertising, marketing, or promotion.

 

Additionally, links to businesses, commercial advertisers, charities, political or social agendas, or the inclusion of their associated logos are not permitted on cache descriptions without prior permission from Groundspeak.

 

Business names should not be in geocache titles. In cases where business names must be mentioned (in some events, for example, it may make sense to do so), this can be done in the description.

 

Entrance fees to nonprofit locations such as parks and other nonprofit locations are often given an exception.

 

Other exceptions can sometimes be granted when appropriate. Requests for permission should be sent to contact@geocaching.com .

 

Caches perceived to be posted for religious, political, charitable or social agendas are still not permitted. Geocaching is supposed to be a light, fun activity, not a platform for an agenda.

 

We believe that updating these guidelines will provide our Volunteer Geocache Reviewers the latitude and discretion to publish geocache listings containing references to surrounding businesses or other relevant information in instances where those references are not principally or substantially intended to generate commercial benefit for the establishment and in instances where it is appropriate for the geocache listing.

 

Our general intention is to prevent geocache listings from becoming billboards for advertisers. It is not our intention to make people "jump through hoops" to avoid mentioning the name of or making reference to a movie, TV show, piece of music, sports team or other item of popular culture which is relevant to the region, state or country where the cache is located.

 

 

2. We have clarified what we mean by commercial forum posts and/or posts that solicit:

 

The old Forum Guidelines say:

QUOTE

Commercial Postings/Solicitations are not allowed. Commercial content as a direct or indirect (either intentional or non-intentional) attempt to solicit customers through a forum post will be edited or deleted. Notwithstanding the above, Groundspeak reserves the right to include limited commercial content in this Forum, in its sole discretion.

 

The new Forum Guidelines will say:

QUOTE

Commerciality and Postings With a Larger Agenda: It is Groundspeak's desire to maintain forums for the purpose of promoting the activity of geocaching and GPS usage. As a result, we intend to limit forum discussions that promote a commercial, social, political or charitable agenda insofar as the agenda does not reasonably relate to the activity of geocaching and GPS usage. Therefore, threads or posts perceived to have been made with the intent of promoting any of the above agendas will not be permitted. Please note that our Volunteer Forum Moderators are authorized to exercise their discretion in providing some reasonable latitude for forum discussion postings relating to local events and issues in local discussion forums. Notwithstanding the above, Groundspeak reserves the right to include or permit the inclusion of limited commercial content in this forum, in its sole discretion.

 

We wish for the main Geocaching Topics forums to remain focused on geocaching. However we are willing to provide for more latitude in the regional and/or international forums for discussing topics that geocachers would find useful or interesting as a closer-knit community.

 

 

The global geocaching community reaches across many countries and cultures. It continues to grow. We recognize that, occasionally, cache reviewers and forum moderators will need to use their discretion to determine the best course of action. Groundspeak has entrusted these volunteers to do what is best for the global community, including regional communities, when appropriate. When issues arise, Groundspeak will continue to approach them with a desire to best support the geocaching community and the activity of geocaching.

 

It is our intent to provide these revised guidelines as a framework within which we can all continue to grow and address new topics on a case-by-case basis. As we move forward, we will continue to rely on the global community to help us contribute to the positive evolution of geocaching.

 

Thank you for your ongoing feedback and consideration. It is greatly appreciated.

Edited May 8, 2008 by Lumphammer

[+The Hornet]

This has already been posted here so perhaps a passing mod m,ight like to consider closing the duplicate thread.

[Lumphammer]

This has already been posted here so perhaps a passing mod m,ight like to consider closing the duplicate thread or not.

 

Apologies for the duplicate thread, I will have to admit to not having looked at the GAGB thread for a few days and was unaware that the change of guidelines were being discussed there.

[+FollowMeChaps]

I disagree that this thread be closed. There will, I'm sure, be others like me who have given up on reading these now long running threads but would like to know about this cahnge.

 

I personally came across it on the GAGB 'General' forum and suggested it be posted here - don't we want folk to know that Groundspeak can change?

[+The Blorenges]

I'd like to second FollowMeChaps suggestion above. I feel that these new Guidelines warrant a new thread, otherwise they may be overlooked within the rather long GAGB thread.

 

MrsB

[+HazelS]

Yep - I agree...

 

Keep this one open...

 

lots of people have got bored of reading the GAGB thread now for various reason, so because this is a very important step forward, in vote to keep the thread open!

[+Write and Mane]

Please keep it open, as it is important that as many cachers as possible see this vital information.

 

The Guideline Changes and Clarification title make it immediately obvious that

this is a thread all cachers should read

[+Donmoore]

Interesting reading and I doubt I would have read it elsewhere on another already cluttered thread.

[+hiho9]

i wouldn't have read it if it wasn't for this post

[+The Hornet]

Fair enough

[+Stuey]

I'm with Peter. Close it, close them all, I'm totally bored by the whole episode.

 

Now that "the UK" appears to have what they want, can't we just all go caching?

[+Molinnis]

I'm with Peter. Close it, close them all, I'm totally bored by the whole episode.

 

Now that "the UK" appears to have what they want, can't we just all go caching?

 

Some hope there Stuey, while it looks like good news all round it is bound to be picked apart and dissected. But I am with you on the "Lets all go geocaching".

[+Wadders]

I'm with Peter. Close it, close them all, I'm totally bored by the whole episode.

 

Now that "the UK" appears to have what they want, can't we just all go caching?

 

Mmmmm What are you on about.......When you do go out to find them you can't find them anyway

[+kewfriend]

I'd hope that the Stinging Rev and Dodgy Rev could be tempted to reverse their collars again []

[Deceangi]

Sorry folks but as the OP has quoted what Miss Jenn posted in reply to Nobby Nobs letter to Groundspeak here I'm closing this topic to allow the discussion to continue there.