You may have noticed a new form of vote-buying / gambling appear on Steemit in the past week.. Following in the footsteps of @steemsports, the account @steemygames has started up a new highly ridiculious (my opinion) "game" where they pick 2 well known STEEM users and pit them against each other in a popularity contest based on physical appearance.
Here is a short little excerpt from their write up:
"Steemians, we get it, sports aren't for everyone. That's why we are trying our best to engage the whole community, today we're bringing you a new edition of the 'The Steemy Games'. We need you to vote on who you think is 'Steemier'. And, it's not because we are shallow, but because we love to have fun! Let's keep this entertaining and show the world the vibrant and playful community Steemit.com is!"
What sticks out to me in this more so than anything is that this new "game" goes against the very words they speak in the articles.. "It's not because we are shallow" ... Well, last time I checked judging ANYONE on their appearance is basically just as shallow as you can get.
Using STEEM Users Identity Without Permissions..
(REVISED: New evidence has been brought fourth supporting permissions were granted)
Revised Content:
While all of this looked incredibly grim in regards to permissions given by the user featured in the "Steemygames" I've been fortunate enough to be shown some evidence supporting the claim that 100% of the users featured did indeed give permissions for their likelyhood to be used. Below is a screencap shared with me from @walden and @cassandra showing them obtaining permission from Mrs. Steemit to feature her in their games:
This proves (to me anyways) that at least Mrs.Steemit did in fact give permissions for her likeness to be used in the "steemygames". The pictures used were lifted from her Instagram by the folks running the games so it IS in fact feasible that the picture of Mrs.Steemit at 16 was simply saved along side other pictures offered there.
I would like to thank @walden and @cassandra for bringing fourth this evidence of permissions. This solves a decent part of the problem I'd perceived with this style of posting. If you read the original content of this post below you may be able to see how I'd been weary that permissions had been given. I'll leave the original content below for reference, although the factuality of my presumptions are not as concrete as I'd believed given the evidence brought forward above.
Bravo, I hate admitting I was wrong but in this case I very likely was. While asking users permissions does alleviate a large portion of what I viewed as wrong with these @steemgames and @steemsports offering there are still a few points below that I still very much stand behind.
Original Content: (Evidence Above Supports This Bit Below May Very Well Be Wrong)
Another point that sticks out in my mind in regards to this new fangled bullshit "steemygames" is that the author of these posts seemingly hasn't taken into consideration the people featured's feelings nor seemingly gotten permission to use their likeliness in any way shape or form.
Ask yourself this: If someone grabbed a few pictures of you online then without your permission decided to stick you in a competition against some other user in some asinine and childish popularity contest would you be accepting of this?
The persons responsible for the continuation of this immature/needless display of competition and community destabilization really needs to consider a few things here.. Is the money you're making from these posts worth the potential hurt feelings and upset the losing parties may face in this? Do you honestly think it's acceptable to compare people based strictly off of looks alone? If you answered yes to any of these, you're probably an asshole.
Simply put, these steemygames aren't something we should support on the network. Why? Because little to NO consideration has been given to people's feelings nor was permission asked by the perpetrators behind this needless garbage money grab.
The tip off to this shit going on for me was when @mrs.steemit ended up commenting on this post that the picture that @steemsports had used of her likeness was over 4 years old.. Putting her at age 16 or so at the time I believe when the picture was taken...
So @steemsports posted a picture of a 16 year old mrs.steemit and had the community unnknowingly vote on the "hottness" of a minor compared to another woman.. Does anyone else see something wrong with this entire "steemygames" shitshow now?
These "Games" Have a Very Real Emotional Price
If you think that these games are all in fun.. I ask you to check out this screencap below, it's a mere taste of the belligerent incoming hatred that these games are capable of spawning:
The Steemy Games: Craig Grant vs Mr Wang
(Names edited because who said this is irrelevant, Clearly there is hurt here because of this childish voting game)
Now in no way am I ostracizing or judging the user who commented this above. It pains me to see one of our own users lash out with hurt feelings caused by assholes who simply put value money and votes over the feelings of others...
What the fuck is wrong with you @steemsports / @steemgames?
I Don't Often Make Ultimatums... But..
Smarten up, STEEM is About Building people up, Not Tearing Them Down
Now, you could go on the flip side and say "Well, @KLYE, you asshat, You look like you're ripping into these game hosts pretty hard.. Sorta looks like you're an asshole."You're right, I am. Call me a hypocrite if you'd like! But sitting on the sidelines and watching my budding STEEM society be de-stabilized by users / groups that frankly don't give a shit about people or consider their feelings isn't something I'll sit on the sidelines and watch.
This is your very clear message to cease and desist. Frankly I don't give a fuck who you are or how you justify your actions. They are completely childish and unacceptable and if you continue, simply put, I'll have the community turn against you. What you're doing, knowingly or unknowingly, is opening up the door for conflict within our community all stemmed from hurt feelings caused by your inability to act as decent human beings.
As a species we REALLY need to move away from the whole "judging" others and throwing each other underneath the bus in the name of "competition". It's needless at best.
TL;DR: "Steemygames" is Childish and Breeds Conflict
Please stick to sports guys for your drain on the daily reward pool... :/
Vote @klye for Witness!
https://steemit.com/~witnesses
A Proud STEEMbassador of Canada
Thank you for your votes, the opportunity and support!
Hahaha, Holy Hate-Flags Batman!
I'm honoured some of you feel so strongly as to flag this post! While not exactly the reaction I was going for, your flags show me I've still a long ways to go with my communication and investigative journalism. Admittedly I jumped the gun assuming that @steemsports hadn't gotten permission to use Mrs.Steemit's pictures based off of what I saw in the comments.
However, Those of you actually reading the post and looking past the 1 error in the original piece realize that the other points raised in this article are in fact problematic. While it does come down to a question of morality at the end of the day and peoples morals differ, I still 100% stand behind what's been said in regards to the juvenile nature of these steemygames.
You've every right to flag this post if you don't agree with it. While initially I was upset when this post received flags at the end of the day it simply doesn't matter. I've spoken my peace, corrected the mistakes I made in it and ultimately I hold no ill will against any person or organization mentioned. While I don't agree with what you guys are doing it's your own life to live and morality to forge. Wishing everyone happiness in the future.