Filter BidBotted Posts to ‘Promoted’

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This idea has been echoed by many on here and I just want to throw my support behind the proposal. The ‘Trending’ tab is an enormous problem and shifting the artificially boosted posts to another less misleading section would do the platform and community a great deal of good. For anyone approaching this issue for the first time in my personal post, here are the major issues and consequential problems that are coming out of the ‘Trending’ section.

The Trending section is being dominated by posts that have used one or several of the major upvoting bots like @smartsteem, @postpromoter, @buildawhale, and @upme to name a few of many (with more emerging each week). Many, myself included, agree that these bots serve a purpose on the platform and that banishing them is not a sustainable solution. However, it is more than obvious that their services are being ‘abused’ to poor ends.

This is a major issue for a number of reasons but most of all, it turns Steemit into a “Pay-to-Play” environment. The Trending section is the first stop for nearly all new/potential users and many experienced ones as well. It is the main place to find major updates by Steemit Inc., witnesses, event announcements, and other noteworthy pieces of information that affect everyone. Whether or not you believe that the posts by @chbartist or @joeparys are complete trash, the issue is that this abuse completely skews the experience of any newcomer or new investor.

Imagine if you were a new user to the website with a freshly minted account. What would be the first place you visit? Likely the Trending section. What would you think if you saw the #1 post with an upvote portfolio like this?

#2 like this?

#3 like this?

#4 like this?

What would be your first instinct and understanding of what steemit.com is? What would you think you had to do in order to make any kind of gain or even following on the platform?

The #3 example of a post by @themarkymark highlights one of major consequences of this trend as well, that posts that contain high value for the community have to resort to these services even to be seen.

As of right now, if my absolute goals were to gain as many followers as possible and earn the most money, the solution is clear as day - delegate all my SP to @smartsteem (which pays dividends for lent SP) and funnel the liquid SBD to existing voting services.

This is a problem.

Again, the issue is not just the bots and the bad players who look to do nothing but leech out whatever value and publicity they can. The issue is the combination of these and the functionality of steemit.com's interface that enables them to thrive. People can use and earn Steem however they choose, but if one choice chokes out the many other ways that people can earn rewards and a following, it should be addressed.

Solution?

Either ban ‘promoted’ content (and by promoted I mean any post that utilizes a recognized upvoting service) altogether in terms of visibility or at least shift it to another section (maybe revitalize the pointless current Promoted tab) of the website that isn’t the main front-facing page of the whole Steemit ecosystem.

Intermediary solution?

Contribute a flag or two a day that pushes down repeat offenders. If these promoted individuals gain less Steem and SBD from these services over the long haul, they will be less incentivized to rely on these tools if they come with such consequential downvoting.

Abusers will find a way to take advantage of the developing aspects of this website and blockchain at all times. It is crucial that the community adapts to address these emerging threats and pressure Steemit Inc. to deal with these major problems.

As always, let me know what you think.