TB policy role on posts promoting other websites
 

Here's a thread posted in TravelBuzz that promotes a new website created by two FT members:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ferrerid=14479

I like having this site promoted on FT since it seems like potentially it could provide a valuable service. Still, it appears to be planned to be a profit-making site in competition with other profit-making sites (like Kayak) that perform similar services, although likely not as well. I have certainly seen cases when others have been shot down for posting to promote their new sites.

Is there a TB policy on this sort of thing? If not, should there be? Or is this in someone else's bailiwick and, if so, whose?

It's not a TB thing - but FT does have rules, which moderators are there to enforce:

http://www.flyertalk.com/help/rules.php#q71

a. Commercial posts. Posts containing promotional messages for commercial products or services - including but not limited to Internet sites, business advertisements and solicitations to donate miles or points are prohibited and will be removed. FlyerTalk is not a marketplace and nothing is to be offered for sale or conditioned on an exchange of money or barter. Nothing in this rule is intended to prohibit exchange of travel coupons as allowed by the rules of Coupon Connection. If you spot a commercial post, please report it.

***

Now that said, the question is whether or not this is a commerical post (it can be viewed as one) - or if this is a for-profit tool (like ExpertFlyer) that is available to the community - in which case is there a gray area? I'm thinking this may be a question more appropriate for the ORP forum or the moderator of that forum (or the Senior Mods).

Indeed this is NOT a TB issue. If you believe that it breaches the TOS you are at liberty to report it to the Moderators of that forum, using the Report Bad Post button, now renamed 'Alert a Moderator to this Post' button on the bottom left of the post.

I'm certainly not going to be alerting any mods to that thread since I like the idea of that site -- but I am worried about the precedent it sets. So if this should languish forever unanswered in ORP, can the mods here move it? Thanks.

Richard - best way to get their attention is the 'Alert a Moderator to this post'.

Yeah, I know, I did that too since it seems to work so well in the Hyatt forum! :):)

Going to move this to Only Randy Petersen so that our benevolent leader can weigh in.

I think I can address this and thanks as always for the note and the question.

Some background in two areas. For almost as long as FlyerTalk has been around, it has been a sort of an incubator for services for the traveler. FlyerTalk provided the attention and traction that allowed these various entities to blossom. Among those are SeatGuru, ExpertFlyer, KVS and others. So indeed there is a history of adoption of even commercial interests among our members and our history. But let's take a look at the difference of what commercial messages are. I think the practice on FlyerTalk is that we have little problem with commercial interests that can be of direct benefit to our members. BUT, we do not want any commercial messages that are here as an advertisement. In the examples above, the founders of SeatGuru, ExpertFlyer and even KVS have been active as general members as well, not totally here to sell something. We look for engagement in the community and while I would be the first to understand that is a fine line, at least we have the best interests of our members in mind. And while I think personally these types of Websites and services could be handled and managed better, there is no denying they have been useful to some of our members. And again, engagement in the community.

As to your question about AutoSlash, actually there is a very good story behind that which I happened upon when researching an answer for you. The founders of this new Website have been extremely above board in regard to FlyerTalk. In fact, they contacted our Moderator corps on May 29 with a post and questions. They wanted to alert the Moderators as to what they were thinking but also get a formal review if doing so would violate the commercial messages rules. As you can see by the thread you mention, they did not post that until more than a week later when the feedback from the Moderators indicated much of the same as I have alluded to above -- that others have come before with similar commercial interests and have been allowed to participate and engage the membership. But what I like most about AutoSlash, is that they actually approached FlyerTalk in advance to get a ruling and feedback BEFORE starting their thread and announcing their new Website. Most do not, so high marks for AutoSlash so far.

As for others being shot down for posting to promote new sites, that is highly likely that they had no plans for engaging or being part of the community. When asked, I always tell potential Websites to simply become members of FlyerTalk and make a reputation for being a helpful member first well before trying to simply enroll to pitch something. In the case of AutoSlash, I noticed that the member starting and announcing this new service has more than 6,000 posts as a member and in fact actually even has run for the TalkBoard as a candidate in the past. I think that's an indication of what is positive about this particular new Website as opposed to others.

Anyway, hope this answers your interest and if not, let me know where I might offer any additional insight.

Any thanks for your constant support of FlyerTalk.

Randy

Works for me, thanks!

excellent points. I'm more likely to trust, use, and review this site based on the many contributions jackal and baseline have made to FlyerTalk over the years. While their venture may be commercial in nature, I have no doubt they are providing a great service to this community and appreciate them seeking our feedback.