Referral links to other sites are NOT allowed in discussions on myLot
By greengal
@greengal (4286)
United States
February 22, 2007 10:54pm CST
So please stop posting them! Every other discussion nowadays seems to be about some earning site or the other and users are promoting their referral links by starting discussions on them. Time and again users have raised this issue, but answers have been speculative than confirmed most of the time.
I know we all are not clear whether this is allowed or not, so I confirmed this with myLot admin yesterday. I messaged them and here is what was said about this issue.
Q1 :Are referral links to other sites allowed in discussions?
"I've been reading the rules and FAQ and wasn't able to make out if referral links to other pay sites and earning opportunities allowed in discussions? I've been under the impression they aren't allowed and have been reporting those with referral links in the discussion.
Could you please clarify this for me? And if it isn't allowed could you please point out where it is mentioned."
Response from myLot admin:
"In our guidelines, http://www.mylot.com/o/guidelines.aspx, it states "Post any links promoting other affiliate programs or that do not pertain to the discussion. Posting the same link over and over or posting links that have no relevance to the discussion is not allowed." What we mean by this is do not start a discussion to promote a referral link, even if you don't put the link it and just ask people to message you. It also means do not add links as a tag to each post you place (add a link at the end of every post like a signature). What you can do is respond to someone who is asking for a referral links. So if a user asks for sites where they can do something, you can respond with a link that has a referral."
I still wasn't clear so asked:
"So when users start discussions stating that they are making a lot more money on another site and give their referral link in that discussion, it isn't allowed right?"
Mylot responded:
"That is correct. Thank you for understanding."
I hope everybody understands this too. I'm sorry I posted the whole message here, but I had to tell everyone as clearly a lot of users are not aware of this.
[Mylot admin, if you are reading this too, I'm sorry I had to get this off my chest..lol!:) ]
So people, stop promoting referral links in the discussions you start. You risk yourself of getting reported as a rule violator.
15 people like this
25 responses
@catch_me (930)
• India
23 Feb 07
Girst of all i want to thank you..to take such afford to clear the doubt.. even i was not sure whether we have the rights to put referal link or not..many users do the same under this impression tht they are allowed... thus this results in a lot of spam.. Your discussion will help a lot of members about referals of another paying site....
hope now every members will know we should not promote any other site in discussion..........
Happy mylotting...
5 people like this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
23 Feb 07
Well Greengal I have to say that I have noticed this a lot to lately and I have just ignored it. I know that this is not aloud and I do not understand why People are doing it if it is against the Rules, well done for posting this Girl.
@7nicole1 (1633)
• Canada
23 Feb 07
I agree with you but your breaking rules by copying and pasting part of the rules here. If you want to get technical all you had to do was tell everyone where to go on the FAQ page instead of pumping up earnings copying and pasting the rules. I see alot of this going on to people saying they are trying to clean mylot up yet they are copying and pasting mylot words and getting credited for it. It clearly states in the FAQ no referral links but yet here you are copying and pasting something that was'nt yours. Im not sticking up for anyone Im just trying to make a point and that is if you want people to follow the rules then you have to as well. We all have broke the rules and eventually MYLOT will catch up to these people so no worries.
2 people like this
@greengal (4286)
• United States
23 Feb 07
Nicole, I am not copying and pasting that is NOT mine. this is the conversation I had with myLot admin and it is here for the rest of myLot to read. I'm in no way promoting the FAQ or any rules here. I know many of us weren't sure of this rule so I made it a point to mention it. I know who you mean, those who paste the rules to make points. Let me make it clear, I am NOT one of them!!! And again, I didn't break a rule.
Cremechese and Omega, thanks a bunch for standing up for me.
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
23 Feb 07
She is not copying the rules!!!! She is copying her messages to and from myLot admin. It was in the message from admin that a link to the guidelines was given. I do that often myself as I want users to read from myLot admin the correct answer to a question. My problem is that some people don't read carefully enough before making a statment.
3 people like this
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
23 Feb 07
Really I didnt think it was a real problem at Mylot. I've seen maybe 5 referral links while I've been here. I really don't see it that often. At other sites with far less activity I've been on, there were tons more referral links spammed around. For how much activity there is, I really don't see it often.
2 people like this
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
24 Feb 07
That's impossible. I've been here for near 4 months and have not noticed it to be a problem. Maybe the discussions you check have them more than the ones I do. Like "arts and entertainment" or "recreation" or home making stuff, but I don't see any at all.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
23 Feb 07
I am a firm believer in asking myLot when something is not quite clear therefore I thnk you for sharing. HOWEVER you are still not going to stop referral links, actually now you may have even helped, quote "What you can do is respond to someone who is asking for a referral links. So if a user asks for sites where they can do something, you can respond with a link that has a referral." I read there that "do something" is what can I DO ONLINE to earn extra money!
Does anyone read into it what I do?
2 people like this
@greengal (4286)
• United States
23 Feb 07
When myLot allows it then I have no objection to it myself. Starting a discussion itself to promote a link is not allowed. There are so many users who have asked for links to online opportunities and they haven't provided one in their discussion, that is perfectly fine. Your interpretation of "do something" is right and that's exactly what it means.
3 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
23 Feb 07
Yes and I certainly agree with you. I got stalked by one of those very people, because I made a response asking if they could not think of any topic to post and it cost me 20% of my reputation in one week. They are not here to enjoy myLot, I think they are only looking for referrals to get more money in other sites. I thank you for bring this clearly to the attention of us all.
3 people like this
@ygkchaitu (387)
• India
23 Feb 07
Thanks for the information. I personally was not aware of this kind of rule but appreciate you to having shared the info else many of us could have been in trouble. There have been many discussions on the other sites' genuinity where people had posted their own referral links. I thought it was legal and i started one by myself.
Anyway i will not be able to give out any other sites referral links because now i am totally statisfied with mylot.
@trouble4u2avoid (2915)
• United States
24 Feb 07
Thanks for the post, I was having a few problems understanding the MYLOT guidelines myself. I think I may have messed up a bit but not intentionally.
I don't mind people reporting people for messing up with the MYLOT guidelines, I understand the cause. What I do mind is the people who are shallow and distasteful about it. It's one thing to tell someone they are breaking the rules and explain the mylot guideline they are breaking. But to go into a discussion and say you are breaking the mylot guidelines and I am reporting you is another. Do people really need to be like that? I think it's very distasteful. Couldn't they offer some guidance? Offer some refernece to the guideline they are breaking?
@greengal (4286)
• United States
24 Feb 07
I understand what you mean trouble, but sometimes it is annoying when the users who've been here for a long time still break such rules. I mean they should be aware of such things since they've been around. When we see a person with more than 200-300 posts, we assume they know the rules and when they tend to break one, by instinct we tend to point out and tell them they are wrong. I agree some go overboard and literally grill that person for doing wrong but it will be a good change if users helped and advised as you said. One of my friends here started a topic with a referral link and I sent her a message saying its wrong, she is a good friend and mylotter and I don't want her to lose points. I sent her a link to this discussion and she apologized and thanked me for pointing it out because she didn't know about this rule. I myself wasn't sure whether this was allowed or not hence went about clarifying it. I hope more users read this and understand its a rule and not meant to be broken.
@greengal (4286)
• United States
24 Feb 07
Yup that shouldn't be done, but some users here start discussions just to break the rules and are surely cheaters, only being rude scares them off otherwise they are all set to cheat the system just for a few bucks. I myself have come across so many discussions where the one who started it doesn't care if the discussion is deleted and is busy throwing insults at users and myLot itself. Now that kind of behaviour obviously cannot go unpunished.
1 person likes this
@trouble4u2avoid (2915)
• United States
24 Feb 07
This statement is also in the MYLOT guidelines.....
Post to “flame” other users! Being mean to others is just not fun. Anything derogatory that is directed at a myLot user is strictly prohibited. Just be nice and have fun!
I don't know...but calling people cheaters and losers when they have only made a couple of posts doesn't seem nice and fun....
1 person likes this
@dbeast (1495)
• India
23 Feb 07
you are absolutely right buddy.i thinkit is not good to post other links and promoteother links here in my lot.my lot is good enough to allow us here and make some extra cash and we slap it on its back by promoting other sites.i dont think this is fair.this needs to stop.my lot should try andstop these post or remove them..i think the users should be concious of this and should act accordingly.think about it guys and keep mylot clean.
@ladyjava (1184)
• Malaysia
26 Feb 07
wow.. i really did not this.. like you i read the TOS as well and got the impression that it is ok to start a thread with referal link but not ok to respond to a discussion with referral link if there is no relevance..
I have, as one of my interest - "make extra money" so that is where i've been posting.. generally as a way to share with people of the same interest who are interested to "make extra money". So isn't that relevant to the interest than? Hmm.. any thoughts?
1 person likes this
@greengal (4286)
• United States
28 Feb 07
Hmm that is kinda tricky because that interest itself involves referral links. But as suggested earlier, you can offer referral links when somebody asks for them but you can't start a discussion promoting one of your links. I think that clears it up.
@greengal (4286)
• United States
25 Feb 07
Any link is allowed as long as it is only informative and adds value to your response or the discussion.I assume Associated Content is another earning site and hence not allowed. myLot has a referral link, those are the kind of links which aren't allowed. Hope this helped clear your confusion:)
@Denmarkguy (1845)
• United States
26 Feb 07
Well, if I could give you FIVE pluses and a gold star, I certainly would!
And I'd go so far as to say that perhaps you could add another message to your "conversation" with myLot admin, and suggest that they CLARIFY that vague statement in their rules, perhaps substituting in the very CLEAR explanation they have offered you through this exchange. I have deliberately avoided reporting anyone because of reading that particular phrase in the guidelines, scratching my head and wondering: "What does that really MEAN?"
I presume this refers to DISCUSSIONS only, and not to what people put in the "personal info" space on their profile pages?
Anyway, many thanks for getting this clarification and sharing it with the rest of us.
1 person likes this
@greengal (4286)
• United States
26 Feb 07
Thank you so much, I'm glad so many members appreciate such discussions, it speaks volumes about the users themselves. They are the good ones who care for the rules:)
I will take your suggestion and write to myLot requesting them to make changes to the rule to explicitly state what they replied in their message to me. And yes, you are right, this pertains only to discussions started and not links shown on profiles.
@RogerTheRabbit (1271)
• Portugal
23 Feb 07
It's always good to know the rules of mylot. I alraedy saw today some referral links in some discussions. But for example, if someone put one of this referral links can they edit the post in order to remove it?
Thanks!
1 person likes this
@dave_lie (1474)
• Indonesia
23 Feb 07
Thanks, you have made things clear to me. Previously, i know it from one of my friend but i wasn't convinced of this rule. It is not like i used to post links to other sites but you have cleared away my doubt. I usually post referral links to others by private messages. I will be a lot more careful now. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
23 Feb 07
Thank you for posting this, I am soooo very tired of all the referrals links, now what about when people on your friend's list send you emails spamming you with the same sites ... geez, I get so tired of them.
1 person likes this
@vega83 (6342)
• Bahrain
26 Feb 07
That's right, guys,
greengal is making a good point.
i got a headsup and i was doing the same thing, but now that i think about it, ofcourse such a thing would not be allowed, i believe it's referred to as spam, i mean ofcourse we have to get referrals somewhere, but there are other promoting sites for that and my lot doesn't happen to be one of them.
thanks again, greengal.
1 person likes this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
27 Feb 07
Reading the responses to this discussion tells me just who doesn't read discussions completely, who doesn't like the mylot rules, and who are sincere about doing what is right. Great discussion and thank you for doing what is right in my book - I guess I just didn't have the guts to do it myself.
1 person likes this
