What would really make a difference - but that’s not going to happen anyway, since it’s been a topic of discussion for years - is if there were a real trust level system again.
On MakerWorld, as well as in the forum, linked to a real printer serial number.
This wouldn’t prevent people without printers from posting or uploading content, but it would have to be verified first. Anyone who has a printer is assigned a higher rank and this prevents duplicate accounts from being created under the same serial number again and again. This would put an end to duplicate accounts, but to be honest it’s already too late.
If something is deleted from one throwaway account, it will just be uploaded to dozens of others. Right now, MakerWorld doesn’t even know which accounts are throwaway accounts.
But what is the current situation? Some users are repeatedly opening the same throwaway accounts - even getting around a ban.
Even though I don’t believe MakerWorld will fail, if they were to fail, it would be because of this:
Such a licensing mess that they can’t even fix it retroactively. So many copyright and trademark infringements that no longer qualify as “fan art” but are simply plagiarism.
Until now, large companies have rarely shown any interest. However, Bambus success is attracting the attention of an increasing number of companies and lawyers. Companies like Nintendo, Disney, etc., have surely been keeping an eye on this. Companies such as Lego and Mattel are already reporting infringements.
Sooner or later, the big juggernaut will arrive.
Edit: What a coincidence - a thread on this topic was actually started today, and it looks like a few more companies are joining in: