How we rank people

There have been many questions about rankings coming to us and we wanted to address the issue, just to clear a few things up. We can't reveal all the details, but here are a few elements that may be causing confusion.

First, while we show the number of videos, pictures, and audio uploads in the Top 100 that a person has uploaded each month, users can also earn points off of items uploaded within the past 30 days. So, for example, on September 15th, people who look at something you uploaded after August 16th will still give you points and help you rise on the charts. (This means that you should space your uploads throughout the month, you don't have to upload everything in the first few days of the month and then coast for the remainder.) This is one reason that people with just one or two uploads may be rising in the charts. Remember, you must upload at least one item in the current month to be eligible for the competition.

Second, while popularity is very important for the points you are earning, the numbers shown in the charts are a snapshot of your popularity right now. "Recent" shows how popular you have been over the past hour, "24 hours" shows popular you have been over the past day. Seeing someone with a low popularity number that's high in the ranks, or a high popularity number that's low in the ranks, doesn't mean that they've consistently had those popularity numbers. The numbers change, and as important as popularity is (it's probably the most important indicator), it's not the only aspect that helps your position.

Third, you can't just compare the views and ratings of two items and assume one is worth more points. The view count listed is the number of times it has been viewed. One person can look at an item many times (checking back for new comments, for example) and have the view count go up, but these extra views don't provide more points. There are other weightings involved in assigning points.

One final note: We have had people report to us that some people are using multiple accounts to cheat. We are identifying these cheaters. If you are using multiple accounts, you should stop now. Cheating with multiple accounts is a violation of our terms of service which can result in a disqualification for the current month and could also lead to having prior winnings withheld.

Popularity and mass e-mailing

Following the launch of popularity points -- which keep track of how many new people are looking at your uploads -- we've removed the controversial ability that allowed users to quickly mass-email their contacts.

Gone are the days when you could simply enter the account information of your free email provider (such as Hotmail, gmail and Yahoo! Mail), and have Spymac automatically contact all of your friends there announcing your new upload.

Spread out your uploads, but be creative in doing so. Instant Messengers are fast and easy, and with the new popularity point system, you'll be able to see if people you're talking to actually check out your work.

Getting serious about copyright

We have now changed Spymac's anonymous copyright reporting to encourage more members to report others who upload someone else's creation. If you have seen a video, picture or audio clip that does not belong to the member who uploaded it, you can now report it using the anonymous system.

This feature was added to increase the quality of competition, leveling out the playing field between those who upload original material, and those who do not. With the new system, we can eliminate those who are uploading content, enabling those with original content to win more money!

We need more people reporting in order to keep the site filled with original content. We're encouraging all of you to do your part in making Spymac the place to be for new talent! If you're on Spymac to simply upload non-original content, there are other sites that would be more suited to your needs. On Spymac, we're looking for stars... not grandma-falling-off-the-chair clips that have been circulating the net for years!

How it works

When viewing an upload, there is now a "Report" link located to the right of the video, picture or audio clip. After clicking on the link, you'll be taken to a page where you can submit evidence - such as links, images, and other relevant information - to let us know that the upload was stolen from another person or site. The more information you provide, and the more specific that it is, the faster we can process the report.

Be warned: the report system has also gotten more strict and serious. If a user's content gets reported and he/she admits it is copyrighted or he/she doesn't respond to the complaint, the content will now be completely deleted from the system (whereas previously, it was simply made private).

Spymac is very serious about copyrights. In order to be eligible to receive money for your uploads, promotional material or creative commons work of others is not allowed. For more information on acceptable content on Spymac, please review the Terms of Use: http://www.spymac.com/tos/

Jackpot extended this month!

We are currently in the process of unrolling the most significant update since Spymac's re-launch in January. The Top 100 charts provide a glimpse of the new system, but there's much more to come. Uploaders, please see the important action required section below.

As a result, the charts will not be frozen at midnight on July 31. Instead, they will be carrying through to the end of August and the jackpot will continue to increase until then. Put simply, there will be no pay-out at the end of July, but next month's pay-out will be effectively doubled.

We have to do this as there are new features running and collecting data in the background that are directly related to the jackpot pay-outs. The new tools will provide the community with more ways to support their favorite stars, and will dramatically improve the site for both viewers and contributers.

So hold tight and keep competing in the Top 100 table -- you're really going to be able to win big this time around, and the new features are literally just around the corner. In fact, if you want more information about what we're close to releasing, just look around the site: There are dozens of clues scattered throughout some of the less visited sections of the site. Happy hunting!

Action required to stay in the running!

Any rank and position earned throughout July has not been lost! Members will start the month of August with the same position in the Top 100 charts and ranking system that they had at the end of July, but they have to upload something new within the month of August in order for their rank and position to be restored. If you do not see yourself listed on the Top 100 table even though you should be, you need to upload something for your position to be restored.

New way of reporting new features

We've created a new section called News from the Spymac Labs where you can read about Spymac's latest new features, upcoming changes, and more! We will no longer be using the Spymac Bulletin blog to introduce new features, but keep checking back for more information on other exciting happenings around the site.

Spymac Labs will be more than just news, it will also give users sneak peeks inside development, and allow for comments and feedback.

Find out more about the recently added copyright report system in the most recent Lab entry. (As you can see from our new report system, we're very serious about copyrights. In order to be eligible to receive money for your uploads, promotional material or creative commons work of others is not allowed.)

Anonymous rating

With the arrival of the Top 100, ratings are now even more important. We received a lot of feedback from people who did not want to rate an upload accurately because of social/political reasons. Look at the five stars as being a thumbs up / thumbs down system, with just a few more choices in between for accuracy's sake.

Don't be afraid to give a full thumbs up to someone who deserves it, or likewise, a 1 or 2 star rating to an upload that you feel deserves it. The system only works if there is a wide spectrum of votes being cast. Remember though, always try to leave constructive feedback to let the uploader know how he/she can improve or continue to please.

Speaking of accuracy, rating stars can now detect fractions -- no more half or full stars. You can now have a 3 and a quarter star rating, for example. More to come soon, good luck!

Official Footage from Friday's Stunt

Stay tuned for news on the Top 100 and other great features that will be launching soon.

Orlando Spy Pictures

Here's a killer slideshow from NSMEntertainment. He went to Saturday's stunt at Orlando's City Hall, and even scored some cash from the Spymac Man. (He tossed out thousands -- literally!) And now, just by uploading pictures from an event he literally got paid to go to, he has a chance to win even more in the new Top 100. Not a bad deal!