👀 Check Out Fiverr's Updated Community Standards!

[vickieito]

I just receive the alert that Fiverr's Community Standards have been updated! 

You can view them here: https://www.fiverr.com/community/standards/Product-abuse

I just wanted to thank Fiverr for taking a tougher stance against dishonest sellers (and buyers) on the platform! 👏

In the updated standards:

1. Fiverr reiterated that it's against their ToS to have multiple accounts. They specifically mentioned bullying behavior (e.g., buyers using multiple accounts to harass a seller) and product abuse (sellers using multiple accounts for competitive advantage or to take advantage of the referral program).

2. Fiverr also reaffirmed their commitment to take action against "fake" sellers and buyers. Action will be taken against those with AI-generated/false profile images, fake identities, or misleading profiles.

3. Fiverr took a stance against manipulative behaviors. This includes excessive cancelations (to boost seller stats or to get 'free' services), abuse of the delivery button, or manipulating buyer reviews (e.g., making purchases strategically to boost a seller's stats/seller level, manipulating buyers' reviews, or leaving retaliatory reviews to hurt a seller).

 I wanted to point out two manipulative practices that sellers might get flagged for. One is misuse of the Help Desk ticketing system:

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• Sending multiple requests on the same issue without allowing for a response from our Customer Support team

Sellers will need to allow CS to reply to their support tickets or they may risk their accounts being flagged for manipulating the system. It can take several days for CS to respond to your support tickets, so please be aware of that and allow CS the time they need to get to your request.

The second is this:

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Any attempts to access the platform through unauthorized methods, affect the Fiverr ranking system, send web traffic to your Gigs, or undermine the security and integrity of our platform is strictly prohibited.

Basically, Fiverr wants to make sure you won't take advantage of the tools and systems in place to create an unfair advantage. Be careful how you are driving traffic to your gig and make sure that it's through legitimate methods. I've seen a lot of gigs shut down over the last year that were offering to promote people's gigs. I also know a lot of sellers are spamming others on forums and social media.

4. Fiverr will take a tougher stance against reporting abuse. This is aimed at shutting down individuals who are excessively using the reporting function to make false claims. However, individuals who are using this reporting function correctly may also get flagged for review:

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The Trust and Safety team won't contact you after you submit a report. If you are submitting multiple reports on a single seller, be careful, so that you don't get flagged yourself.

We will probably see a flood of posts on the forum for violations related to these new standards. So please, take the time to review all of the updated standards so that you aren't one of those unlucky posters!

Edited February 20, 2023 by vickieito

[newsmike]

7 minutes ago, vickieito said:

Action will be taken against those with AI-generated/false profile images, fake identities, or misleading profiles.

But at the same time, they are holding webinars encouraging the use of AI to mask quality deficiencies and spoof English proficiency. Just don't fake the profile pic? 

[droberts1990]

These sound like a number of banana skins that newbies like me would slip up on.

Thanks for posting this and keeping us informed.

I need to try to work out how I missed the alert direct from Fiverr....

[vickieito]

6 minutes ago, newsmike said:

But at the same time, they are holding webinars encouraging the use of AI to mask quality deficiencies and spoof English proficiency. Just don't fake the profile pic? 

Hopefully, the webinar on the 22nd, and subsequent webinars/educational tools, will address this! Copying Yoav (@editors_picks), Fiverr's Engagement and Education Manager. 😊

I also want clarification on what would cause Fiverr to shut you down for "sending web traffic to your Gigs." This wasn't clear on the updated Community Standards. Fiverr encourages sellers to promote on social media, and we already know that spamming forums and social media violate the ToS of those platforms (and is prohibited here, too). I also noticed Fiverr shut down many gigs when I saw Promoted Gigs come out, stating that "promote your Fiverr gig" services were in violation of Fiverr's ToS. So using those services (any that are still in operation), would be prohibited, too.

[theratypist]

They should clarify the point on web traffic, I think they mean Google ads platform as that has always been in the TOS. However, how its written in the new update sounds a bit vague.

[rasel3465]

I got it too.

[newsmike]

21 minutes ago, vickieito said:

Hopefully, the webinar on the 22nd, and subsequent webinars/educational tools, will address this!

 

They have already thrown in the towel. If Fiverr was a Rolex retailer, they would be sponsoring seminars called, "How $15 counterfeits are good for business."  The worst part is that Fiverr does not even understand our concerns. Notice their words "AI got you spooked?" If they were paying attention, they would understand that we are not scared of AI, we are annoyed that Fiverr is allowing low quality/low English sellers to fake their work and conversations, thereby setting buyers up for more disappointment and once again weakening the platform's image by not chasing out the fakers and scammers, but instead instructing them how to cheat more efficiently. 

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by newsmike

[maitasun]

6 minutes ago, vickieito said:

I also want clarification on what would cause Fiverr to shut you down for "sending web traffic to your Gigs." This wasn't clear on the updated Community Standards.

 

2 minutes ago, theratypist said:

I think they mean Google ads platform as that has always been in the TOS.

I also think they're referring to Google ads. From Fiverr's ToS 👇

[vickieito]

2 minutes ago, maitasun said:

I also think they're referring to Google ads. From Fiverr's ToS 👇

I hope so ...there are so many ways to "drive web traffic" to a gig, so it makes me wonder why they chose to use that verbiage. It makes me think that they are including other methods, not just Google ads.

[maitasun]

5 minutes ago, vickieito said:

I hope so ...there are so many ways to "drive web traffic" to a gig, so it makes me wonder why they chose to use that verbiage. It makes me think that they are including other methods, not just Google ads.

I don't have a cheating mind, so I don't know which others would be. 😬🙈😂

[breals]

It it just me, or does this sound like you've got xx days to get your shit in order before an almighty purge?   Based on what we have seen over the last few months in terms of VVRO etc.. could it be that Fiverr are now going to tighten their belts and finally take action against the fakes and scammers?

By sending it out to everyone, its almost like its a 'we did warn you first' message!

Watch this space! 

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by breals

[newsmike]

1 minute ago, maitasun said:

I don't have a cheating mind, so I don't know which others would be.

Don't worry, I'm sure they'll hold a webinar explaining how soon. 

Edited February 20, 2023 by newsmike

[theratypist]

2 minutes ago, breals said:

By sending it out to everyone, its almost like its a 'we did warn you first' message!

Watch this space! 

I'm glad it was a notification for all sellers, though I still think the people who needed the heads up still turned a blind eye.

The purge = the forum continuously being filled with *My profile got banned - I don't know why* 😆

[catwriter]

10 minutes ago, maitasun said:

I don't have a cheating mind, so I don't know which others would be. 😬🙈😂

I could think of a few, based on certain forbidden services...

11 minutes ago, breals said:

It it just me, or does this sound like you've got xx days to get your shit in order before an almighty purge?

I hope that's what it is, and not just a gesture. The 90 days since all those accounts got restricted are not over yet, and we don't know what the final decision about them will be.

[donnovan86]

12 minutes ago, breals said:

By sending it out to everyone, its almost like its a 'we did warn you first' message!

 

Well they did provide more details about what can get people banned, so I think it's a great idea to send this notification to everyone. But as others said, we will continue to see "I don't know why they banned me" posts.

[vickieito]

It sounds like Customer Support is fed up with excessive tickets on the same subject.

I think we'll see several people surprised when their accounts are shut down because they are sending urgent requests on why they can't find their gig in search. Or why CS is taking so long.

[catwriter]

4 minutes ago, vickieito said:

I think we'll see several people surprised when their accounts are shut down because they are sending urgent requests on why they can't find their gig in search. Or why CS is taking so long.

Or why the monthly evaluation is late. Even though it wouldn't affect them anyway.

[uk1000]

The terms of services says:

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users are limited to one active Fiverr account and one active Fiverr Business account

could that mean that a user could have both a normal Fiverr account and a Fiverr Business Account (2 accounts in total)?

The community standards page says:

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In order to buy and/or sell services on Fiverr you may have only one account

So is that different than one the TOS says? Are you allowed to have both a normal Fiverr account and a Fiverr Business account or just one of those (either a normal Fiverr account or Fiverr Business account)?

Edited February 20, 2023 by uk1000

[maitasun]

@uk1000, that's only for those who are strictly buyers. It doesn't apply to sellers who are also buyers.

[uk1000]

Here's another part of the new page on the community standards:

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Any attempts to access the platform through unauthorized methods, affect the Fiverr ranking system, send web traffic to your Gigs, or undermine the security and integrity of our platform is strictly prohibited.

You are not allowed to "affect the ranking system".

In Fiverr's help page it says:

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How can I get my Gig ranked higher?
Promoting your gigs on social media, websites, or blogs is a great way to bring more traffic to your gig. The more traffic, the more exposure you will receive in our marketplace. Completing your orders on time and providing exceptional service can also affect your ranking. As long as you are doing well in these areas, your ranking will improve.

So the above gives some tips on how to get ranked higher (affect how your gig is ranked/what position it shows in). The community standards also says you are not allowed to "send web traffic to your gigs". The help page says "Promoting your gigs on social media, websites, or blogs is a great way to bring more traffic to your gig" (exactly the thing the community standards says isn't allowed - sending web traffic to your gig).

Also from the help:

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Visibility in the marketplace is one of the most important things a freelancer should take care of in order to get orders and grow their business—which is why we built the Top Keyword tab.

Place the strongest-performing keyword(s) in that metric category front and center in your Gig title, as it is the first text our algorithm takes into consideration, followed by the positive keywords field and your Gig description.

The above is tips on "visibility in the marketplace" (ie. where your gig will show - in the ranking, and doing things that affect the ranking of your gig).

So the community standards page says we're not allowed to affect the ranking system but the help pages give tips on how to rank your gig and how to improve your visibility of your gig (ranking basically) and what the algorithm (which we're not allowed to affect according to the community standards) takes into account.

So their rule about "not affect the ranking system" could be made clearer so people know what is and isn't allowed (since their help pages give tips on ranking your gigs). Or are they just meaning that affecting it in non-Fiverr ways isn't allowed (like spamming gig links everywhere or using bots to generate tons of traffic to your gigs in the hope that helps)?

Edited February 20, 2023 by uk1000

[catwriter]

57 minutes ago, uk1000 said:

So the above gives some tips on how to get ranked higher (affect how your gig is ranked/what position it shows in).

Tips on how to do it in a legitimate way.

57 minutes ago, uk1000 said:

The community standards also says you are not allowed to "send web traffic to your gigs".

Paid bot traffic. Or some other unauthorized method.

Though I have no doubt that some sellers will use shady methods and then say they thought it was allowed. Like that designer guy who used a template for his gig image and thought that an altered template counts as original design.

[maheennadeem814]

Sellers should only open a Help Desk ticket when they need actual assistance with an order, not to request positive feedback or to ask buyers to change their reviews. The second is the manipulation of orders: sellers should not ask buyers to cancel and reorder an order to manipulate stats or to request tips in exchange for an order being completed. These are all important measures to maintain the integrity of the Fiverr platform and ensure a fair playing field for all users. Kudos to Fiverr for making these updates and continuing to work towards a better marketplace! but I am still confused about their Ai webinar 😄

[vickiespencer]

10 hours ago, vickieito said:

However, individuals who are using this reporting function correctly may also get flagged for review:

To be safe, I will stop reporting sellers I find who are breaking TOS.  

[moikchap]

@maitasun @uk1000 Do you guys know what the view is on a situation like if I have an account for me, and then I'm the point of contact who handles another account for my employer? Is the business a different user even though it's me handling it?

I was thinking of making some proposals at work that I handle some outsourcing since I know the pain points of fiverr, but I don't want their stuff to comingle with my personal stuff. Surely this use case has come up before (using fiverr at work for work, then at home for self on separate accounts), but I can't easily find an answer when I google it.

[theratypist]

2 hours ago, moikchap said:

I was thinking of making some proposals at work that I handle some outsourcing since I know the pain points of fiverr, but I don't want their stuff to comingle with my personal stuff. Surely this use case has come up before (using fiverr at work for work, then at home for self on separate accounts), but I can't easily find an answer when I google it.

I'm not exactly sure how this works but it may be of interest to look into, Fiverr business has this option on managing account team members. Perhaps you can clarify further with Customer Support if needed.

"With Fiverr Business, you can invite people to join your team and have one place to track your team's orders, have a shared payment method, and collaborate efficiently."

https://www.fiverr.com/support/articles/360010492798-Fiverr-Business-Managing-account-team-members