AnakaTarren’s Peer Review Guide



AnakaTarren’s Peer Review Survival Guide

Version 3.2 (Last Revised: 7/4/10)

Table of Contents

Introduction……………….…………………………………..………………………..…………..……..2

I. Peer Review Location (URL) 2

II. How IMVU Scores Peer Review 3

III. Peer Review and Creator Tiers 4

IV. How to Maximize Your Peer Review Score: 4

V. Flagging Items that Incorrectly Pass Peer Review (and Flagging Hidden Items!) 5

VI. Tips for Confusing Topics 6

A. Missing Item Descriptions and Images 6

B. AP content in GA product descriptions (or UFI content in any item) 6

C. Profanity and curse words 6

D. Public safety and health promotions using AP references in GA items 7

E. Images/poses not allowed in GA items 7

F. Differences between AP and UFI nudity 8

G. IMPLIED Item Meanings and Innuendo 8

H. Promotion of AP or UFI activities 8

I. Keywords: 8

J. Word filters 9

K. GA items submitted with an AP rating 9

L. Switching between Male and Female Avatars while testing 9

M. Checking the underside of an outfit 10

N. Checking a necklace when the default shirt is in the way 10

O. “Personal” and “Do not buy” items 10

P. MUSIC and VIDEO ratings on a product page or in an item 10

Q. Foreign Languages 12

R. Personally identifying information 12

S. Photographs of real people 12

T. Violent and Illegal Gangs 13

U. Wagering 13

V. Copyrights and Trademarks 14

W. Safety Concerns 14

X. Links to Off-IMVU websites 14

Y. Objectionable items that aren’t against TOS 15

Z. What about objections to participating in Peer Review? 15

VII. Creators who Abuse the VGP or the Peer Review System 16

VIII. Submitter tips 16

IX. Improving Your Knowledge of the VGP and its Interpretation 17

X. Finding and Contacting the Creator 18

XI. Contacts for Peer Review Assistance 19

Introduction

This guide is help people better understand how to vote in Peer Review. It assumes a general knowledge of:

• IMVU’s Terms of Service (TOS)

• The Virtual Goods Policy (VGP). Part of TOS, IMVU maintains the VGP as a separate document about ratings and product creation.

• IMVU’s Peer Review (PR) system:

Be sure to read IMVU’s introductory materials to Peer Review. Click on the “Peer Review FAQs” link on this page.

Information below is based on my knowledge and interpretation of the VGP and TOS, plus awareness of items that have been re-rated, failed, and/or removed by IMVU Customer Service in recent months.

This document is in progress, is not complete, is based upon my understanding, and is not created in association with or approved by IMVU, Inc. Always use TOS, the VGP, information provided by IMVU, and your own judgment in making any final decision. There is no guarantee that this guide is correct, that voting by this guideline will result in high Peer Review scores, or that if used for product submission, your item will pass or fail. There are too many unclear areas, changing rules, and differences in interpretation for guarantees.

Feel free to send me corrections, suggestions, and comments. Constructive input is always appreciated.

Peer Review location (URL)

The Peer Review system is at . Bookmark this link for quick access.

How IMVU Scores Peer Review

A. Initial Peer Review Voting Points and Accuracy %:

1. Correct Vote Points: + 1 each [1]

2. Incorrect Vote Points: 0 each

3. Pending Vote Points: 0 each

4. Skipped Item Points: 0 each

5. Canceled Item Vote Points: 0 points each

6. Accuracy % = ________Number of Correct__________

Total Number Reviewed

1 Customer Service Review: If an item improperly passes Peer Review but is flagged and re-rated, your voting WILL be corrected based on the new rating. (Note: This is subject to IMVU change.)

7. If an item is improperly passed according to the Virtual Goods Policy (VGP), you may flag it for CS review. That will correct your score and helps keep improperly rated items out of the catalog. Flagging is not required and is always a personal choice.

2 “My Peer Review History” Page: Click this link on the main Peer Review page to see the last 20 items reviewed in the following categories:

8. Correct Panel – You voted correctly on the item based on the majority (or CS review, if that has occurred)

9. Incorrect Panel – You voted incorrectly

10. Pending Panel – Item voting is incomplete or the item has been sent to Customer Service for review due to split votes

11. Canceled Panel – The item creator canceled Peer Review for the item.

3 Disappearing votes: IMVU deletes old votes from your Peer Review history on a regular basis (monthly, as of the date of this writing), so the counts in your Review panels will be reduced routinely as old votes roll off. If you are a Creator, this process allows IMVU to update Tiers with only your most recent 90 days of Peer Review statistics.

4 Promo Credits: At the time of this writing, IMVU pays promo credits for Peer Reviews. The amount and rules for this may change.

Peer Review and Creator Tiers

1 The Peer Review monthly count of your “Correct” votes currently shows in creator Tiers. Total “Correct” votes (instead of % Accuracy) may be the factor that will be used to calculate creator Tier “Peer Review” rankings. IMVU may change that approach at any time.

2 IMVU only uses a creator’s top 3 soft metrics (out of 5 currently) to calculate Tiers. Therefore you do not have to participate in Peer Review in order to obtain or maintain a high Tier as long as you have equal or higher scores in other Tier soft metric areas.

How to Maximize Your Peer Review Score:

1 Learn and vote according to IMVU’s Virtual Goods Policy and Terms of Service.

2 While you are learning TOS and VGP, skip anything you aren’t sure of in terms of rating rules or how Customer Service interprets them, or if you don’t want to vote on the item for other reasons. Voting incorrectly can hurt you more than voting properly. You can increase the types of items you vote on as you become more comfortable with TOS and the VGP. IMVU has banned users for serious mis-voting.

3 Check items in the Incorrect panel and Pending panel often (at least every 20 items you failed and believe may have incorrectly passed PR by majority vote).

12. If an item appears in your Incorrect panel, click on the vote tally (red/green area) at the bottom of the item in question to open the item’s Peer Review Stats page.

13. If you passed it and the majority didn’t, look at the reasons other people failed it, then check TOS or the VGP the reasons behind their voting. This is a great way to verify and improve your understanding for future voting.

14. If you believe an item was incorrectly passed by the majority after doing the step above, double check the VGP, and if your original understanding is truly correct, flag the item for CS review. (See next section for details.)

4 Vote in Peer Review on a regular basis if you choose to participate in Peer Review for Tier points. Pick a frequency (daily, weekly, etc.) that is right for you to achieve the desired vote count by the end of each month and 90-day period.

Flagging Items that Incorrectly Pass Peer Review

1 To flag an item that incorrectly passed Peer Review, click on the item’s vote tally (red/green area) at the bottom of the item in question in the Incorrect Panel or Canceled Panel. This will display the item’s Peer Review Statistics page. Bookmark the item’s PR Statistics page for easy follow-up on the rating! (I also include the flag date in the Bookmark name.)

2 Make sure you didn’t vote incorrectly by looking at the item statuses, votes, failure reasons, and other information. (There ARE some Peer Review bugs at the time of this writing that can cause your vote to show against a different item!) If the system shows your vote cast differently than you know you voted, consider filing a Help ticket. In some cases, you might need to both issue a bug report and also flag an item that incorrectly passed.

3 If the item should still be flagged, click on the Product Name hyperlink in the Item’s Peer Review Statistics page to reach the normal product page, then click “Flag as Inappropriate.”

4 Flagging HIDDEN items:

15. Hidden Items will not appear when you click the Product name link on the Peer Review Statistics page or in a regular catalog search, but they can still be flagged!

16. First, find the Product ID number. In items you have voted on, the product number is shown on the Peer Review Statistics page in the upper right box as part of the Product Review ID,

product_submission-XXXXXXX-nnnnn

in the digit area indicated by the X’s above, surrounded by hyphens on BOTH sides. (The last digits, the n’s, are used only for Peer Review.)

17. Click the flagging link on ANY other visible item in the catalog, look at the URL in your address bar, and REPLACE the number at the end of the flagging URL with the item number you wish to flag. The URL will look like this:

, replacing the X’s with the product number of the violation.

(See step above for instructions on finding the product number.) Then hit Enter to go the flagging page for the hidden item. If you have done this properly, the item name and developer name for the violator will both appear on the new flagging page. Make sure you change the product number and don’t flag a good item by mistake!

18. Bookmarking the Peer Review statistics page is the easiest way to follow-up on corrected ratings for hidden items. Future rating changes for the item will also appear on that same page.

Tips for Confusing Topics

1 Missing Item Descriptions and Images

19. If a description or full image is missing, I pass the item anyway as long as the actual item is correctly rated. Providing a good image and description is mostly a marketing choice, not an IMVU catalog submission requirement at the current time.

20. If the actual item is not shown in either the icon or product description yet is otherwise correctly rated, I pass the Peer Review submission unless the information in the product description would mislead a potential buyer on the contents.

21. A text description is not required by the VGP at the time of this writing, although it is a good practice. The submission process only requires entry of a single character.

2 AP content in GA product descriptions (or UFI content in any item)

22. The overall item must be rated according to the most restrictive of all images and text associated with the item and product page. So if a standalone item is GA and a banner image is AP, the overall item must be rated AP. The overall item rating is also if AP-rated icons or images for other products are shown in the description.

3 Profanity and curse words

23. IMVU publishes a few words they do not consider profanity in the VGP. Use your own judgment for others.

24. To determine if other words are considered profane, check a recognized dictionary of the standard American language, such as .

1 Words indicated as “obscene” (at least in the dictionary referenced) are at high risk of being flagged. “Vulgar” words carry less risk.

2 Dictionaries do not always agree with each other, so use of the one above or any dictionary is not a guarantee your work will not be flagged.

3 Sometimes words may be flagged or removed as profane based on the images or phrases accompanying the use of the word, especially if the combination of words and image implies AP or UFI activity.

4 Public safety and health promotions using AP references in GA items

25. Based on what I’ve seen to date, common safety and health promotions are allowed in GA items and product information as long as prudently and appropriately used.

26. For example, a “Don’t use Drugs” sticker is generally ok as far as I can tell. Also “Smoking is bad for your health” and “Don’t Drink and Drive” promotions and product information appear to be acceptable.

27. Of course, the overall impact of the item or product description is what drives the final decision, so a sarcastic or inappropriate image with a safety promotion would probably not be acceptable.

5 Images/poses not allowed in GA items

28. If the clothing pictured in the product information or item would fail the MCG skin test, the item should not be GA.

29. If there is nudity in the item, it should not be GA. This includes nudity of classic statues and paintings. (A lot of people have argued about this one, but the problem is finding VGP wording that doesn’t give pedophiles and others a loophole to abuse the system. If you can suggest better wording, send it to IMVU.)

30. If a pose or image shows a sexually-themed position, the item should not be GA even if both are fully clothed. Check the Forum rating discussions (often in the Creator sections) for more information.

6 Differences between AP and UFI nudity

31. Images with strong sexual content are automatically UFI. See the VGP for that definition. The difference between art and porn is highly debatable and IMVU has often changed their interpretations, so use your own judgment.

7 IMPLIED Item Meanings and Innuendo

32. Innuendo and secondary meanings should be considered as part of an item rating. If the secondary or implied meaning is AP or UFI, the item should be rated AP or UFI.

8 Promotion of AP or UFI activities

33. If the product description and/or images, alone or together, imply promotion or support of AP or UFI activities, the implication should be considered as part of the product rating. Some examples are:

1 Master, slave, and sexual bondage themes should always AP based on my understanding. This includes slave collars, kajira items, and references to master and/or slave themes in the product information.

2 Gambling involving anything with a cash conversion value (virtual or real currency) is UFI. This includes anything with IMVU credit value and/or even if the payment is made by another person.

3 Stickers and items offering any form of cybersex in exchange for purchase or as a gift are UFI.

9 Keywords

34. AP words are technically violations if used as keywords in GA products, but IMVU enforcement practices have been inconsistent. I have been unable to obtain any information about IMVU’s current position on this topic.

1 Keywords appear at the bottom of the Peer Review item information.

2 Items with AP keywords in GA items have been re-rated in the past by CS, especially if the violating terms are not handled by the GA filter.

35. IMVU does not publish a list of words prohibited in GA items. There is an IMVU GA-filter (see below), but many violating terms are not filtered.

36. Combinations of keywords may be considered AP even though the single keywords are GA.

10 Word filters

37. IMVU applies word filters to rooms, groups, homepages, and product information.

1 Word filters hide certain AP terms in displayed text from GA users, and UFI terms from all users.

2 A list of filtered words is not published by IMVU.

3 Words that are filtered are still technically in violation if included in GA products, and could result in item re-rating now or later.

11 GA items submitted with an AP rating

38. If an item is submitted as AP but could have been correctly rated GA, I pass it since it does not create a rating problem in the catalog. Creators sometimes rate items more restrictive than necessary, especially if the item is for personal or limited use.

12 Switching between Male and Female Avatars while testing [2]

39. Type *use 80 and press the Enter key in the Peer Review 3D window to switch to a female avatar. (You must type it exactly as shown in blue for it to work.)

40. Type *use 191 to switch to a male avatar.

13 Checking the underside of an outfit

41. According to IMVU, you can type *use 2111 and press the Enter key can be used in the Peer Review 3D window to check the underside.

42. You can also purchase Mercuria’s Minimum Coverage Check product. This item has two positions for checking outfits.

15 Checking a necklace when the default shirt is in the way

43. Type *try 145579 and press the Enter key in the Peer Review window to check a necklace or accessory that fall beneath the default green tee-shirt. [3] This will replace the default shirt with the MCG test skin for females.

44. Use *try 762578 for a male MCG test skin.

16 “Personal” and “Do not buy” items

45. Review and vote based on an item’s actual VGP compliance. When making your decision, ignore all developer comments like “personal,” “do not buy,” “this item meets the minimum coverage guidelines,” “this item has passed Peer Review,” “you will be banned if you flag this,” or “IMVU has approved this item.” Violators often post misleading comments hoping to mislead Peer Reviewers and flaggers.

17 MUSIC and VIDEO ratings on a product page or in an item

46. If the audio (song lyrics) or video is AP, the item must be rated AP even if the rest of the item qualifies as GA. If the audio or video is UFI, the item must be rated UFI.

47. Since most famous songs and videos are copyrighted,

1 I SKIP all items with music (except when I know the submitter writes their music own on IMVU, which is very rare).

2 UNLESS there is another legitimate reason to FAIL the item.

48. Here are some tips to determine if you can fail an item you suspect includes misrated music:

3 Search for the official rating by typing songname artist EXPLICIT into Google or another search engine, replacing the songname and artist with the song on the IMVU item. If the song is AP (or UFI) it will often come up with an Explicit rating, especially in . But this doesn't work on all songs.

4 If a copyright thief is bold enough to copy the artists’ cover into the product description, look for a Parental Advisory sticker. If that sticker also says Explicit Lyrics, it’s a strong indicator the item should be AP (or UFI).

5 Search for the lyrics by typing songname artist lyrics into a search engine. It's faster to scan the lyrics for rating a lot of times than listening to the entire song (especially if you don't like the music). Of course, make sure the music works in the IMVU item.

6 For foreign songs, search on songname artist lyrics translation english. A lot of lyrics are translated, but make sure you pick a translation by a professional lyrics translation site. A lot of fan-translated music is inaccurate. Cut and paste the link of the translation into the flagging report if you think it will be helpful.

7 For foreign songs, you can also cut and paste the foreign lyrics (found using step 2) into Google Translate or another free translation package on the net. Google Translate seems to work the best in my experience at the moment.

49. Edited versions of songs are sometimes available, but the music industry requires both full and edited versions to specify which version they are. So if the item doesn’t state if it’s full or edited, it’s probably safe to assume it’s a full version (as well as that it is probably a copyright infringement).

50. Music and video ratings are actually far more complex than this. If you want more information, check out:

8 RIAA’s Parental Advisory page - music/audio

9 MPAA Ratings Guide – movies

10 ESRB Rating System – computer games

18 Foreign Languages

51. SKIP items you do not understand if you don’t want to look up a translation (see below for translator links) … unless the item can be failed for other obvious violations. UFI and mis-rated products are just as common in other languages as they are in English, so pass something if you don’t know what it says. There are generally speakers of those languages around who can Peer Review it (or the creator wouldn’t add it in a foreign language to the catalog!).

52. For foreign MUSIC, see the MUSIC and VIDEO section on tips to fail the music if you suspect its submission is misrated.

53. The standard language on IMVU is English, but sometimes I try to help a creator a break by looking up my own translation if I want to vote.

54. If you want to take the extra time, there are a few free translation tools available, such as Google Translate, which translates many languages to/from English. (Google Translate is the best of the free translator tools based on my experience.)

55. If the foreign phrase is short, it may also be commonly known and easy to find on the internet. Sometimes if you just type what does “foreign phrase here” mean into an internet search box, a full translation appears, especially if the words are from a song or poem.

19 Personally identifying information

56. Never provide identifying information about “another” person in IMVU products. The critical word here is “ANOTHER.”

57. An adult artist who uses his/her own name to copyright personal work is acceptable as far as I can tell since that information is not about “another” person. Minors should always have their parents involved in those types of decisions.

20 Photographs of real people

58. Photographs of others with malicious sayings about the image may not be used without written permission by the person pictured, even if names of the people pictured are not provided. This is UFI due to malicious content. (Plus the creator could probably be sued for publishing it, too.)

59. Other photographs not taken by the item creator may fall under copyright protection (not currently evaluated in Peer Review).

21 Violent and Illegal Gangs

60. Violent and illegal gangs fall under “Hate Products” to the best of my knowledge.

61. To correctly identify well-known gang symbols, names, and other potentially UFI features, see the website under the topic “Gang Profiles”. Wikipedia and other sources also have significant gang information.

62. Gangs sometimes use common colors, words, and symbols in addition to their own unique identifiers, so do not report items that might actually be non-gang-related unless the developer appears to be promoting an illegal gang.

63. In some instances, these types of items and violations should also be reported as a safety concern by filing a Help ticket. Use your best judgment. All reports are handled confidentially.

22 Wagering

64. Wagering is currently defined in the VGP as “Any betting or wagering of real or virtual currency. “ The IRS forced shutdown of gambling operations using virtual currency in another virtual world a couple of years ago.

65. Wagering may also be the promise of a gift or credits on the basis of chance if someone purchases an item. Some examples are:

1 If the content creator offers a gift to every 10th person who buys an item

2 If the content creator offers a gift to every 5th person who writes leaves a product review (since an item must be purchased before a review can be given).

66. Links to real gambling sites in a product description automatically make the overall item UFI, regardless of the standalone rating of the actual item and regardless of who pays for the gambling opportunity.

23 Copyrights and Trademarks

67. Copyright and trademark infringements cannot be evaluated as part of the Peer Review process at the time of this writing. If you believe an item involves the work of another, with or without permission, evaluate the item based on its other characteristics and/or skip the item entirely.

68. All copyrights eventually expire (usually after 70 – 120 years) and become part of the public domain. Trademarks never expire. A great copyright expiration summary chart is available here: .

69. Only the copyright/trademark owner may file a claim with IMVU to have infringing items removed. For more information, see TOS.

24 Safety Concerns

70. If a submission appears to be a serious safety problem (for example, child porn, theft of personal information, introduction of spyware or malware, etc.), file a Help ticket.

25 Links to Off-IMVU websites

71. At the current time, links to off-IMVU websites are a violation only if the materials on that site are against IMVU’s TOS or VGP rating. However, there is a current BUG in Peer Review that may cause your vote to be miscast if you click on product description links during Peer Review! I sometimes vote first (so I can track the item), go back and check suspicious links, and then flag the item if appropriate (even if my flag disagrees with my original vote).

72. If the materials on an off-IMVU website are AP, a link to or promotion of that web site in a product description makes the entire item AP UNLESS that site has automatic protection built-in that recognizes IMVU GA users and restricts them from AP content.

73. Links in a product description to sites with UFI materials (wagering, porn) make the IMVU item UFI.

74. IMVU recommends several on-IMVU and off-IMVU for free credits. See my homepage for the topic “How to Earn Credits” for more information. Links to IMVU-sponsored free credit sites are acceptable in product descriptions.

75. MetaRL and off-IMVU “free credit” sites

1 Unless the linked site is a gambling site or provides access to AP-type materials without restricting IMVU GA users, I don’t think it’s appropriate to fail a product for including the link. Personally I would not include those types of links due to potential liability concerns.

2 For other specific concerns regarding metaRL, plus metaRL’s response, see the two forum posts here.

26 Objectionable items that aren’t against TOS

76. Standards of acceptability within the VGP and TOS vary by culture and individual. Whether or not you find an item personally objectionable, vote ONLY based according to TOS and VGP rules.

77. If you prefer, skip items you personally find objectionable. Skipping items does not hurt your Peer Review score.

27 What about objections to participating in Peer Review?

78. You do not have to participate as a reviewer in Peer Review. However, all newly submitted and updated items must go through the process. IMVU planned to send old items through PR, but I’

79. If you wish to participate in Peer Review and skip items you are concerned about, that’s fine. There is no penalty for skipping items.

Creators who Abuse the VGP or the Peer Review System

1 If a submitter’s item is in serious violation or the person repeatedly submits misrated items, you can check that creator’s other items and flag those items if appropriate. VGP violators often have the same problems in their other items. After you have voted on the item, click on their user name in the Peer Review Stats for that item to see all of their products. [4]

80. If other items are clearly misrated and the developer isn’t new, I often flag all of their violations (or bookmark it to flag when I have time).

81. In my opinion, this approach should generally NOT be used for new developers unless they are submitting UFI materials or appear to regularly submit misrated items despite previous peer reviews. If it appears to be an honest mistake, I’ll flag only the current violation, giving the developer a chance to learn and fix their items.

2 Report potentially abusive creators by filing a Help ticket. Be sure to include the product ID number and the creator’s avatar name.

Submitter tips

1 Make the reviewer’s job EASY to help speed your item through the process. Many reviewers skip questionable items to avoid penalties to their Peer Review scores, and that can slow down approval of your item. To make a reviewer’s job easy:

82. Rate the submitted item properly. Make sure you read the VGP and follow the rules that apply to your item.

83. Rate your item AP if it is borderline GA-AP, or modify your item so it is clearly GA.

84. Include an accurate picture of item in the icon, the product description, or both. If you put an image of your sticker in the product description, make sure it is the same size as the actual item or you explain the difference so potential buyers are aware of what they are really purchasing.

85. Include at least a couple of accurate and appropriate words describing the item. The need for a product description is still somewhat unclear, so lack of words or at least a good picture of the item may you’re your item’s approval down.

86. If you include claims and quotes from the VGP in your product description saying your item is acceptable:

1 Make sure it is politely worded, or reviewers will assume you are just trying to hide another problem. But even polite claims will cause some reviewers to test your item more thoroughly since so many unethical developers lie in product descriptions.

2 If I find an item that boasts it is TOS-compliant but isn’t, I bookmark it so I can flag it later if it incorrectly passes. And if it appears the submitter is intentionally trying to mislead buyers or reviewers, that submitter will probably go on my follow-up list so I can eventually review ALL of their products.

87. When making products for other languages, include an English translation of any words on the item or in the product description, if possible. Hopefully you can find a friend to help with translation. Without a translation, approval of your item may be delayed.

Improving Your Knowledge of the VGP and its Interpretation

1 The only interpretation that matters is IMVU’s. But since they have not chosen to publish extensive guidelines, this section addresses how to better determine Customer Service’s interpretation of the VGP. Their interpretation grows and changes as the process matures, so some educated guesswork is involved if you want to rate more questionable items.

88. Always check the VGP first if a certain type of item rating is new to you.

89. Ask a question in the Content Creator General Discussion forum. Some of these answers may be inaccurate despite the best intent of the poster, so always use your own judgment. If a forum post answer contradicts the VGP or TOS, rely on the IMVU documents (unless IMVU has made a formal announcement of an upcoming change).

90. If you have been bookmarking flagged items, see how CS handled your flag for similar types of violations. CS re-rating can be inconsistent, but you might notice certain trends in how they interpret the rules. If you still believe an item is a serious violation but CS hasn’t responded to your previous flags, you might want to flag it again anyway or file a Help ticket.

91. Check similar items GA or AP in the catalog to see how they are rated if IMVU’s documents are unclear. If similar items are already in AP, there's a good chance the new item belongs there, too (regardless of how many potentially mis-rated items are in GA).

2 Flagging old item violations in the catalog. Flagging old items and following up on the results can verify and fine tune your understanding of VGP in unclear areas. While it is time-consuming, it currently does not hurt your Peer Review score (unless you pick an old item that you’ve already reviewed), plus your actions help clean up the old catalog.

92. Be aware that IMVU sometimes requires more flags for old items before they will look at violations, unless the item has been recently updated.

93. Pick items you truly believe to be in violation after studying the VGP on that topic.

94. Use the CS responses (re-rating, product removal, or no change) to refine your understanding. If you know the item is in serious violation but not re-rated, consider flagging it again or file a Help ticket.

Finding and Contacting the Creator

1 Should you contact the creator?

95. I DO NOT recommend contacting creators about rating issues due to the potential for malicious and sociopathic responses. IMVU keeps the names of flaggers confidential for good reasons.

2 How to find the creator’s name

96. The most accurate way to contact an item’s creator is after you vote on the item. The review statistics page for that item after you vote will include a link with the developer’s name.

97. If you do not wish to vote but still want to contact the creator:

1 Write down a couple of distinguishing notes about the item (keywords, unusual comments in the product description, etc.) so you can search for the item in the catalog later. Items that you don’t vote on do not appear in your Peer Review History.

2 Developer information might be included in a banner in their product description. Please note that since some creators put multiple developer banners in their product descriptions, you might not contact the correct one using this method. Hovering your cursor over the banner will show the target destination of the link. If it is an location if should be safe to check.

Contacts for Peer Review Assistance

1 To report system bugs, file a Help ticket. Include links and/or screenshots as appropriate. They will probably ignore bug reports with too little detail, so include enough information for them to verify the issues.

2 To report a problem with an individual item, flag the item so it will be reviewed by Customer Service.

3 To report similar problems with many items from an individual content creator, flag the individual items.

1. I know this isn’t the answer you (or I) want to hear, but in my experience IMVU generally won’t re-rate numerous violations in a single creator’s catalog unless you flag each violation separately. And if numerous flagged violations are serious, IMVU sometimes disables the creator. In very serious cases, I have had some luck filing Help tickets about large numbers of violations for a single creator.

2. If you think the creator might learn from a single flagging (or want to make sure you are right before flagging more), just flag one item, hope for the best, bookmark the catalog with a date, and follow-up.

3. Don’t flag all of their violations on a single day, limit it to 10 or so at first, starting with the Most Relevant. It appears IMVU still has some limit in flags they’ll accept on a single creator at a time, plus the increase in flagging might help the violator get the message and clean up their own mess. If the creator still doesn’t appear to care, flag a few each day or recruit some friends to help clean it up.

4 To report safety problems. If a submission appears to be a serious safety problem, file a Help ticket.

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[1] Points were originally different for “Correct” and “Incorrect” panel votes. At the time of this writing, it appears that only items in your “Correct” panel will be counted at one point each towards your Tier ranking for Peer Review.

[2] Thanks to DreamMint for this information!

[3] Thanks to lollies4kitten for this information.

[4] Thanks to Whispeer for providing this suggestion.

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