Neopets Polls Are A Fraud

[coming2atvnearu]

One of the last remaining ways many of the users felt that their voices could be heard was through the Neopets polls at the front page. Here, they felt they might be able to influence some of the decisions TNT made by using sheer numbers of public opinion. These have been exemplified in areas such as the pets which receive makeovers and which new worlds were created.

However, something is very wrong with the polls.

I voted today and quickly refreshed when I noticed something strange. The number had actually gone down. I refreshed again and saw a continually fluctuating number. Here are some screen shots of what I found in chronological order:






There are several possibilities of what's going on here. The most disturbing of which is that Neopets polls are a complete mock up. They do not reflect our opinions at all and simply give the appearnce that they care what we say.

Maybe I'm far too quick to jump to cynicism, but from my experience, when facts are coupled with time and effort, TNT usually chooses the easy way out.

Then again maybe its just a glitch. However, for a site owned by Doug Dohring, a man who used to make the majority of his income online through opinionsurveys.com, you'd think they'd know how to do surveys.

Maybe its not a big deal... At its worst case scenario, it just means that we're being lied to. Maybe I'm just over-reacting like when they showed the face of the guy who played Claw in the Inspector Gadget movie, or when the US told the Ukraine that they had a faulty electoral system after the candidate with the most votes lost. In anycase, I found it interesting and I figured its something that, as dedicated users of the site, you deserve to know about.

[Pteri Sage]

What I was told when I reported that well over a year ago back when Thade was a new borm evil spirit was the poll has an atou adjust feature to remove people trying to personally raise the poll. It filters out multi votes. So standing there refreshing or hitting the enter your vote alot doesn't actually alter the poll in the long run. I know of several web c ompanies who use the same kind of feature.

[The Wonder Weezel]

What I was told when I reported that well over a year ago back when Thade was a new borm evil spirit was the poll has an atou adjust feature to remove people trying to personally raise the poll. It filters out multi votes. So standing there refreshing or hitting the enter your vote alot doesn't actually alter the poll in the long run. I know of several web c ompanies who use the same kind of feature.

huh... thats interesting... i was hoping theyd pull off something like that! great!

[the_mongoose2020]

That is a little strange. If taking out extra votes is what they're doing, maybe they could just put the percent of error next to the poll. I think that would solve all of the confusion Otherwise, this just raises my suspesions.

[VirtualMetal]

I think you're all over-reacting

[myname7772]

You can still vote multiple times in the polls.

[stampsyne]

Most likely a continuing numbers glitch like in the auctions. ew.

[coming2atvnearu]

What I was told when I reported that well over a year ago back when Thade was a new borm evil spirit was the poll has an atou adjust feature to remove people trying to personally raise the poll. It filters out multi votes. So standing there refreshing or hitting the enter your vote alot doesn't actually alter the poll in the long run. I know of several web c ompanies who use the same kind of feature.

Now this I'm interested in. Did you send it in the bug reporting form or a personal email.

Personally, I think the votes would be excluded before they went into the tally, not the other way around.

[IcyBlue]

It's not like polls do much at all. I don't really see why this is much of a concern.

[Keith]

What I was told when I reported that well over a year ago back when Thade was a new borm evil spirit was the poll has an atou adjust feature to remove people trying to personally raise the poll. It filters out multi votes. So standing there refreshing or hitting the enter your vote alot doesn't actually alter the poll in the long run. I know of several web c ompanies who use the same kind of feature.

Now this I'm interested in. Did you send it in the bug reporting form or a personal email.

Personally, I think the votes would be excluded before they went into the tally, not the other way around.

That's what I would think... If we're being lied too, then I even more despise TNT... But who knows what's up with it.

[Luckybingotroll]

very interesting

[coming2atvnearu]

It's not like polls do much at all. I don't really see why this is much of a concern.

The main problem is the decreasing of open channels between the users and those that create the content. Neopets has systematically ignored all but a few very public areas to take any concerns or suggestions.

In fact the only places we could see our opinions being heard were the Editorial which showcases only a slim, slim number of questions and the polls which could very well be fraudulent.

If you have no porblem being marginalized, ignored and lied to, then you're right, its not a big deal.

In fact, I don't know why Ukraine is making a big fuss about the government changing a few votes around in their presidential election. It really isn't much of a concern.
Sorry if this is considered a political comment. I was just trying for a real world anaology. If this is over the top, I apologize to the mods.

[Johnnydontgo]

The problem is that when any digital community becomes as big as Neopets, it's difficult to find ways for the public to be heard. And Steven's right; one of the few and narrowing options is the polls. So it IS a concern, when you look at the big picture.

[vivian58]

It's not like polls do much at all. I don't really see why this is much of a concern.

Before Meridell, there was a vote for "What new world shall we add to Neopets?" (now closed). "Medieval" won, and Meridell came along, so I'm assuming they actually used this poll result.

Also, there's the other one for "What resolution is your monitor set at?", in which 800x600 is winning by a huge margin. Notice how the site is perfect for 800x600 people? (There are a few expections of course.)

Plus, there are ones asking if a certain pet should get a makeover.

So, anyway, polls did affect TNT's decisions. Or at least they used to.

[meowth1982]

In fact, I don't know why Ukraine is making a big fuss about the government changing a few votes around in their presidential election. It really isn't much of a concern.
Sorry if this is considered a political comment. I was just trying for a real world anaology. If this is over the top, I apologize to the mods.

You are my new hero.