Over the course of the last couple of months, a few things have been brought to the moderation team's attention (and randomize's attention) that we have decided to finally address. Of course, in the past, we had higher priorities, but this blog will focus on two topics/rule changes that will now be official: design rules and the black market selling of T$.
For quite some time, users have been asking for the moderation team to turn their focus to finding ways to incentivize current designers to continue making new work for the website. Design permissions have gone unmoderated for as long as I can remember, which has resulted in people's work being posted without their permission or without rhe designer being properly credited. Today, on behalf of the Tengaged Advisory Council, I am happy to announce that this will no longer be the case. Going forward, to post a design by an ACTIVE designer, you will be required to reach out to them and get their permission.
Here is how it will work:
- Permission will be REQUIRED to post designs made by active designers (people who still actively log on the website).
- Design permissions will be posted into the [MOD] Design Permission Group: https://tengaged.com/group/10145-mod-design-permission-group
- Permissions can either be posted by the designer themselves or by the shop owner by posting a screenshot of a TENGAGED MAIL where they received permission to post the design. For example, Slice can post " SmoothStalker12 has permission to post X in their shop this week" or SmoothStalker12 can screenshot the Tengaged mail that indicates he is able to post Slice's design in his shop.
- IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHOP OWNER TO ENSURE THAT THE PERMISSION THEY RECEIVE IS POSTED IN THE GROUP BY EITHER YOURSELF OR THE DESIGNER. IF YOU ARE REPORTED AFTER NOT RECEIVING PERMISSION/POSTING IT, IT WILL IMPACT YOUR SHOP.
- Designs posted without permission will be removed if they are reported. The total will also be deducted from your shop. Repeat offences may result in a ban if it gets out of hand.
- DESIGNERS are responsible for reporting any instances of their designs being posted without permission. Moderators will not be actively monitoring the design permission group every day, unless a report is brought to our attention BY the designer, NOT a third party (such as another shop owner).
- In some cases, the shop owner may have chance to respond to the reports if we feel designers are being unfair.
- Designs made by users who are no longer active on the site is free to use (unless they've indicated permission will be handled through another user).
- Designers will set the terms of their permission (within reason). For example, it may be that PureEssence only allows Washed_Ravioli to post her designs in his competing shop for a set amount of time. We will accommodate these requests unless they become excessive.
NOTE: These new rules will NOT impact the current shops week. They will come into effect in the NEXT week of shops on Friday, July 9th.
"Black Market" Selling of T$
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Over the last few years, there has become an issue on the website where users have been selling their T$, accounts, and shop stocks for real money. Going forward, this will no longer be permitted.
If at any point you are caught selling/purchasing T$ FROM ANOTHER USER (not from the website), you will receive a ban. The ONLY legal way to purchase T$ is through the "Buy T$" button on your profile (https://tengaged.com/paypal ).
Users have been selling their T$ for real money at a discounted rate. After being paid, they would then gift a design out of a shop for the corresponding amount that the buyer purchased. This practice will no longer be allowed on Tengaged.
The punishments will increase over time. I understand that this may cause some push back originally, especially given the prices of T$ on the website, but the moderation team's hands are tied on this one. I assure you that we continue to bring up the pricing of T$ to randomize and that it is remaining a topic of discussion. Whether or not it comes to fruition is obviously entirely out of our hands, but we agree with you and will continue to discuss it.
I am fully aware of how this works and will be investigating the anonymous gifts often to check up on this. I will be investigating cases where this is suspected, so it is in your best interest to stop this practice immediately.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to myself, CheapCheep or koolness234.
this is the stupidest blog i’ve ever read randomize is only doing this so he makes more money for sitting on his ass and doing nothing, at least the people selling t$ actually do work to keep this site alive
This is way too much and way too annoying to post a screenshot of every single permission for every single design. Especially if you have general permissions.
- Permissions can either be posted by the designer themselves or by the shop owner by posting a screenshot of a TENGAGED MAIL where they received permission to post the design. For example, Slice can post " SmoothStalker12 has permission to post X in their shop this week" or SmoothStalker12 can screenshot the Tengaged mail that indicates he is able to post Slice's design in his shop.
- IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHOP OWNER TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE PERMISSION AND POST IT IN THE GROUP. IF YOU ARE REPORTED AFTER NOT RECEIVING PERMISSION/POSTING IT, IT WILL IMPACT YOUR SHOP.
what if i wanna gift a friend and then they wanna pay me just for being a good friend? They are not paying me for my T$ but just for being the kind considerate person that i am :S is that allowed?
If you’re going to stop people from being able to profit off their t$ the t$ need to be a lot more affordable and make much more sense because the deals they made are much more reasonable than the shit we have now.
he punishments will begin at 3 day bans, extend to 7 days on repeated offences, and can go as high as 14 day bans if somebody becomes a continued offender.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like people who have actually been problematic have yet to receive extended bans but... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯