I am sure a mod can better title this and edit as they see fit. Since it has been discussed, I figured I would start the topic as a central place to note current problem areas of large volumes of low quality records being submitted.
So I will start with the first one which is ongoing with a class submitting large numbers of human and cultivated records from Nevada today.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?place_id=50
I dunno… 2124 pages of obs and only 3 pages of humans… and the obs look terrific as far as new users go…
That’s because they’ve all been moved to casual already. If I had made the search to the county, you would have seen all the planted stuff more clearly, the search on state was likely too broad.
If anyone wants to help, today it is Indianapolis, IN
Apparently the word of the day was abiotic because that’s what we call all the trashcans, cars, signs, electrical equipment and litter we put into iNaturalist.
Hmmmm… I’ll see how I can help!
I like having a forum where we can communicate problem areas. Great idea @cmcheatle!
There’s a group at the San Diego Zoo today. Some examples of the stuff they’re posting:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26008990
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26006590
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26004925
A couple reactions. My first is that getting youth involved with the platform is wonderful. As with any youth onboarding there will be a need to reach out and explain to them how the platform is used. As an instructor since 1984 I am keenly aware that few students will light up to a particular subject, but those few will go on to make great contributions to the field.
My second is based on the three students at the links having joined on the same day as the field trip suggests that like me, the teacher may have not known how the iNaturalist community functions. Downloading iNaturalist is as simple as downloading FaceBook or Instagram. Many platforms now have some form of brief on onboarding tutorial. When I downloaded iNaturalist 30 minutes before my class and then had students using the app during class, I had no idea there was a community “behind” the app nor that the data would be flowing into biodiversity databases. The need to onboard users is discussed elsewhere, as is the need to steer teachers during the onboarding to appropriate materials and to not generate “duress” users.
I’m not sure why the flurry today, but there’s Hollywood High School:
John Muir High School:
and Yankton High School:
(locations approximate)
Has anyone reached out to faculty there? I usually try to do that.
I’ve noticed a number of Rutgers students (New Jersey) posting copyrighted photos in the last couple days. I would be extra skeptical about observations in that area.
Edit: I’ve contacted a project admin who can hopefully do something.
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