Merit "trading" - buying and selling Bitcointalk merit

[fabianji]

(I originally posted this in 'marketplace' but it seems more appropriate here...)

Very interesting to see the reactions to the newly introduced concept of merit as an additional indicator of account maturity and quality beyond just pure number of posts / activity. While this was introduced to increase post quality it has of course created a counter movement and a market place for "trading" merit - for money.
So this is just a reminder for everyone that the introduction of merit is a GOOD thing because it will help improve the quality of this forum for everybody.

"Trading" merit will undermine this and render it eventually useless.

Keep contributing!

[1713993872]

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[1713993872]

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[Chris314]

Selling merit isn't allowed (wasn't created for that purpose) so anyone that proposes to sell some will be red-tagged by DT members. It should limit possibilities as new accounts don't have merit to sell, and older ones wouldn't risk to red-flag their account.
Only remains the hacked or sold accounts...

[juicyjanet88]

Selling merit isn't allowed (wasn't created for that purpose) so anyone that proposes to sell some will be red-tagged by DT members. It should limit possibilities as new accounts don't have merit to sell, and older ones wouldn't risk to red-flag their account.
Only remains the hacked or sold accounts...

This. Furthermore, these merit sellers need to have a source of merit, once all of the initial distributed sMerit is used up then they will really struggle to have much merit to sell. Even if it continues it will be a drop in the ocean in terms of accounts that can buy ranks, given how scarce sMerit is.

[fabianji]

Selling merit isn't allowed (wasn't created for that purpose) so anyone that proposes to sell some will be red-tagged by DT members. It should limit possibilities as new accounts don't have merit to sell, and older ones wouldn't risk to red-flag their account.
Only remains the hacked or sold accounts...

This. Furthermore, these merit sellers need to have a source of merit, once all of the initial distributed sMerit is used up then they will really struggle to have much merit to sell. Even if it continues it will be a drop in the ocean in terms of accounts that can buy ranks, given how scarce sMerit is.

One way it seems they are using to prevent running out of merit is that they merit each other back and this way both parties increase in merit... I have seen a few threads were vigilant member of this forum are trying to track those people down and correlate the reciprocal meriting - often giving 50 merit points for posts that are by any standard not worth meriting at all.

[EthanB]

There are many threads and many users that are tracking users down for doing what you are describing. Many have already been tagged by DT members; you can find seemingly endless examples of users immediately trying to sell/trade their merit once it came out.

I agree that this would undermine the merit system if it were allowed to continue and flourish, but everyday users are getting more vigilant about proper/regular usage/distribution of merit and this is leading to increasingly effective patrolling for malicious intent. Selling merit has not proven a successful or worthwhile endeavor for anybody that has attempted it, so I don't see it flourishing or becoming much of a problem as long as nothing changes.

[juicyjanet88]

One way it seems they are using to prevent running out of merit is that they merit each other back and this way both parties increase in merit... I have seen a few threads were vigilant member of this forum are trying to track those people down and correlate the reciprocal meriting - often giving 50 merit points for posts that are by any standard not worth meriting at all.

These merits will ultimately run out, each time they do this they only get half back, eventually it will be at 0 and there will be nothing for them to trade.

[inyakizuryel]

Selling merit isn't allowed (wasn't created for that purpose) so anyone that proposes to sell some will be red-tagged by DT members. It should limit possibilities as new accounts don't have merit to sell, and older ones wouldn't risk to red-flag their account.
Only remains the hacked or sold accounts...

Yes it has to be banned in this industry but there are still some people who are using this kind of process most especially to gain money and also to gain merits. They are just doing this because of greediness of the ranks, and for me it has to be stopped.

[etherflip]

One way it seems they are using to prevent running out of merit is that they merit each other back and this way both parties increase in merit... I have seen a few threads were vigilant member of this forum are trying to track those people down and correlate the reciprocal meriting - often giving 50 merit points for posts that are by any standard not worth meriting at all.

These merits will ultimately run out, each time they do this they only get half back, eventually it will be at 0 and there will be nothing for them to trade.

Unless the person selling merit is a merit source.

[vanderveld]

OMG, I'm a newbie and  I've just found out 'bout 'trading' merit.

but, my question is.. are there any rules and punishment 'bout it? can it cause an account to be banned?

[Juggy777]

OMG, I'm a newbie and  I've just found out 'bout 'trading' merit.

but, my question is.. are there any rules and punishment 'bout it? can it cause an account to be banned?

Buying and Selling of merits is a shortcut to get a negative feedback and hopefully account ban. There're several threads including mine, who're taking pains to review posts and give you merit, no need to buy and sell.

Report people like : give me merits I'll give you back.
I'll sell you merits for X amount.

Don't make this stupid mistake of buying and selling, like the eye that sees it all, everyone is watching. #idontdoshadydeals

[edhp]

Selling merit isn't allowed (wasn't created for that purpose) so anyone that proposes to sell some will be red-tagged by DT members. It should limit possibilities as new accounts don't have merit to sell, and older ones wouldn't risk to red-flag their account.
Only remains the hacked or sold accounts...

what do you mean by sold accounts?

[Alone055]

I don't think the people already aware of the system need a reminder for this, and the ones who are not, they don't really care.
No one doing something against the rules of a community can hide forever. So the ones trying to sell or selling Merits would eventually be revealed and they will have no other way than leaving the forum for good. Creating new accounts won't help in this case as Merits are not gained automatically, but they are to be earned manually by efforts, and someone having enough knowledge to contribute something to the community would never need to sell Merits for a few bucks.

[romanovst]

OMG, I'm a newbie and  I've just found out 'bout 'trading' merit.

but, my question is.. are there any rules and punishment 'bout it? can it cause an account to be banned?

Some senior members gave negative trust to members involved in abuse of merit system (awarding merit points to low quality posts). No one was banned though. It is hard to find the buying and selling of merit points especially if someone is buying 1-2 merit points from multiple accounts. If you notice such threads in other forums, you can report here.

[EthanB]

These merits will ultimately run out, each time they do this they only get half back, eventually it will be at 0 and there will be nothing for them to trade.

Unless the person selling merit is a merit source.

Merit sources do not generate unlimited merit; they have a very finite amount of merit that they can generate and it has a cool-down or regeneration period of 30-days. If you notice a merit source (or anyone) selling their merit it will be enacted upon very quickly; this will not stand with theymos or DT members and anybody purchasing that merit will get tagged, too.

Plus if you juggle your merit between accounts, this will also be noticed and expunged. So far I have seen a pretty solid zero-tolerance for merit abuse, and it is laying a good foundation for our new system. I have yet to hear/see of a case where merit has been successfully abused for any tangible benefit.

are there any rules and punishment 'bout it? can it cause an account to be banned?

Short answer, yes.

[solovev]

(I originally posted this in 'marketplace' but it seems more appropriate here...)

Very interesting to see the reactions to the newly introduced concept of merit as an additional indicator of account maturity and quality beyond just pure number of posts / activity. While this was introduced to increase post quality it has of course created a counter movement and a market place for "trading" merit - for money.
So this is just a reminder for everyone that the introduction of merit is a GOOD thing because it will help improve the quality of this forum for everybody.

"Trading" merit will undermine this and render it eventually useless.

Keep contributing!

Trading merit is not going to last long here. Most of the senior members will also spend their default smerits soon. I think as time passes by the merits will start getting confined to good members here.

[ericunc95]

I would truly hope that merit sources are not involved in selling/trading of merit because that would defeat the purpose of it.  Sometimes earning merit is easy and other times, I find it hard to believe that a post I was reading was not merited by someone that had some to give.  I wish we had a way to flag a post that we might think is meritable but we do not possess merit.  Maybe this notification could go to a merit source for review.  I know that would be a cumbersome task, so I am not really sure on how feasible it would be.  I know I have saw multiple posts that I thought were of high quality but no one else did and the author was not awarded any for it.  I know there are some posts out here saying to show them a good post and they will go check it out...so others are thinking of the same idea...just wish we had a way to "automate" it in the forum.  I just wish the merit stuff would have started a week later when I could have became a Member on the next cycle up...lol. 

[shailkumari]

I would truly hope that merit sources are not involved in selling/trading of merit because that would defeat the purpose of it. 

They are picked by the admin and thus there is very less probability of that happening. Also, since number of merits and the person giving those merits is displayed and thus it will be hard for them to cheat as well. Admin can remove their privilege if needed.

[zikabra]

(I originally posted this in 'marketplace' but it seems more appropriate here...)

More appropriate place to receive merit 

But you didn't move it, you copied your own topic!

You are not better than those who are buying and trading merit. 

[DaftAjax]

Not likely because, the System will detect by how much you gave merits to other members. And if not, other members will definitely notice your doings and soon report you to the higher ups - get what you deserve obviously.

Take note that the System is not perfect and soon some scarce will be found, but expect that it will get resolve as soon as possible. Besides this was implemented so that the previous problems won't exist anymore.