Please stop disabling models for minor violations

Hi @MakerWorld team!

I wanted to suggest a change to how flagged models or profiles are handled when they violate a guideline. Right now, when a model is found noncompliant—even for something minor like a missing printed photo—it gets fully disabled. The problem is that once this happens, there’s no way to edit the model to bring it into compliance. The uploader loses access to make any fixes, and even basic information like the original images or description becomes completely inaccessible.

This feels unnecessarily frustrating, especially when the issue is something minor that could easily be corrected. Instead of fully disabling the content, could you consider setting it to private instead? That way, it’s not visible to the public, but the original uploader can still access it, make changes, and resubmit for review. This would encourage compliance without discouraging contributions.

Of course, I understand that for serious violations—like inappropriate content or abuse—a full disable makes sense. But for basic guideline issues, a private status would strike a better balance between enforcement and user-friendliness.

Thanks for considering this.

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Rightfully so. If it’s a rule and part of the guidelines and the user does not comply - it’s a goner.

You even tick a checkbox before you can even publish it saying “yes i have uploaded an image of the model”.

How do you think makerworld staff feel having to constantly bonk users to follow the guidelines they agreed to follow - but didn’t.


It’s always the people who complain about these rules who can’t seem to follow the rules they complain about.

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I wholeheartedly disagree here. People should be allowed to not be 100% perfect all the time, and given a chance to fix basic issues, or at the very least, still access the profile/model they had uploaded.

Alternatively, it could be set to private and ‘locked’ as private so that the uploader can still access what was there. There is absolutely no reason to punish someone for a minor infraction.

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I agree about setting the model to private to give the uploader the opportunity to fix the problem. I just don’t think it’s a minor infraction.

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The problem with that particular requirement is some people purposely cheat the system. I’ve seen some STLs that weren’t even printable, but were still up for download. Other people simply don’t want to use the filament and guess that everything will print fine. Then after 20 or 30 people download it and break machines (nozzle clumps) or just waste filament, the designer finally realizes they screwed up.

Neither of those two situations put the system in a good light, and only lead to people not using it.

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You mean in addition to taking away all of the points, right? Otherwise they are incentivizing rule-breaking, since now there is no reason to follow any rule. Just wait until you get flagged and make the fix.

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Yeah for sure, if whatever they did results in points being removed, for example having it in the exclusive program when it doesn’t meet the requirements. But I’m not talking about that sort of thing because in that specific case models are not disabled they are just removed from the exclusive program.

In my case it was a print profile for a model someone uploaded that did not have a print profile. Hundreds of people have printed it successfully and it was rated five stars so obviously there was no issue with the profile. I just never printed it myself (no pic of physical print) because it would have been a waste of filament.

I understand if they can’t be bothered to make exceptions, I’m just saying that in cases like this, the profile does not need to be completely inaccessible by the person who uploaded it. There’s no reason for that.

Back many years ago I learned how to color inside the lines.

When there are requirements that are clearly stated, you follow them if you want to participate.

It’s bizarre to be aware of the requirements, yet willfully ignore them, and then complain that the rules were followed?

Would-a, should-a, could-a. The easiest way to avoid having models removed is to follow the posting rules. Apparently the issue was no photo of the completed model which is dead trivial to comply with.

Most of the people that get tripped up by this are people posting junk who don’t want to post photos because the print isn’t like the render or some other scammy nonsense. The rule is clear and so are the reasons for it.

Yeah, they could do things like lock models so you can fix them, but if you look at it from Bambu’s POV, the people who don’t post photos of 3mf files are generally trying to scam them. Why be accommodating to people trying to rip you off and make it easier for them to try again?

You are casting your lot with the people who try to game the system. Why should Bambu facilitate that?

Disk and USB drive storage space is cheap. Why not keep your own backups so it’s easy to recreate a post?

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I agree it would be nice to set things to private, not just to add leniency for those who fail to follow the rules, but because the system currently seems to be prone to false positives.

I posted details in the other thread, but my latest model had all print profiles removed overnight while it was hitting its peak in the trending feeds. The only reason given was “no real print photo included” despite the fact that I have only used real print photos.

I re-uploaded the print profiles with additional photos once I realized what had happened, but I’m now missing out on 200+ print profile downloads. Having a listing with no downloadable content for 8+ hours doesn’t help the algorithm score either.

It’s annoying that now I need to back up 100+ older print profiles just because they might get incorrectly removed.

People should be allowed to not be 100% perfect all the time

This isn’t about being “100% perfect”, this is about doing the thing that you’ve checked the box saying you’ve done. It’s the lowest of low bars. We’re not talking a series of esoteric, complex, and hidden requirements. It’s literally a checkbox you are forced to check to confirm that you’ve added a picture of the profile (in this specific example). If you think reading this check and understanding it is an expectation of perfection, I think maybe you shouldn’t be uploading to makerworld.

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When I first uploaded something, I didn’t even realise that the model and the print profile were two separate things. You do both in one go. So I added 5 images to the model and attached a 3D image from Fusion to the profile on the next page. Of course I also ticked the checkbox, I printed it, real photos on the model page.

If you come from other platforms, you won’t know this at first. And because it all happens in one step, you don’t realise it at first glance.

So the system here is also far from perfect. Such sentences do not exactly demonstrate empathy, even towards newcomers.

It tells you very clearly TWICE you need to upload a picture of that print profile. Once here where you add the pictures

And a second time here

image

The first section is even called “Print Profile Pictures”

Such sentences do not exactly demonstrate empathy, even towards newcomers.

I am not responding to newcomers, I am responding to someone who has uploaded almost 40 models and over 70 profiles in the span of a year. This is not someone who needs “empathy”, it’s someone who should learn from their mistake and follow a stupendously low bar of a rule, rather than instead complaining it should be removed. The requirement for a picture of a successful print from a profile is essential to demonstrate the print isn’t some impossible garbage output, in order to maintain MakerWorld as a viable place to get models.

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But the tough rules and even tougher penalties ultimately affect everyone. That’s a problem when you apply everything in exactly the same way for everyone in a mindless way (sometimes also through AI).

And thanks for the screenshots, that just doesn’t change the fact that you don’t understand it if you’re new :slight_smile: At least that’s how it was for me. When I made my first remix, I didn’t realise that there were points here either - let alone what to do with them. I just wanted to improve something and do my bit. An introductory guide with a little more explanation certainly wouldn’t go amiss … especially if you know how detailed BL’s wiki can be.

I do realise that you have to take action against people who exploit the system. But the way it’s happening at the moment is not effective in my opinion. And it doesn’t reduce MakerWorld’s workload either, as many people will probably spend ages afterwards trying to minimise their damage with support tickets.

I agree, a bit harsh to suspend the whole model. OR at least still give the user a way to edit the listing if it needs a small change.

I admit I have added a print profile once without a picture, because a user requested a slightly different version of the model (in french language). So I made it for them and uploaded so they could download in time for mothers day. I was printing it at the same time I published the profile, so no picture was yet uploaded.

Here’s the thing, this wasn’t raised by a newcomer and the OP didn’t even mention newcomers. Yes, newcomers may make this error and then they learn from it and don’t do it again. I made the mistake with one of my early models and you know what, I haven’t done it again.

The whole “You’re not showing empathy to newcomers” is a nonsense argument. It’s “Won’t someone think of the children” for MakerWorld.

It’s a valid rule and disabling the model* until the infraction is fixed is a valid response.

*It only disables the model if it’s the only print profile, otherwise the print profile is just removed

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If it concerns EVERYONE, it is relatively uninteresting whether you answer an experienced user or not. You are in favour of punishment, no matter how harsh it may be and whom it hits.

The rules here are generally tough, everything is deleted too quickly. Once you’ve been hit hard by it, you’re afraid of doing something wrong. And fear is a really bad way to build a community.

The title here deals with general errors (minor violations, to be precise). I am not only interested in print profiles.

But the side you take in this discussion is probably determined by what has already happened to you. Or how empathetic you are :wink:

To add something more to the subject: As mentioned, you are informed about it everywhere via a checkbox. Not only that, but there are now also hundreds of references to it on the wiki, in the forum and on Reddit. It’s simply everywhere. At some point, you just have to accept it. The rules are really simple.

Let me compare it to driving a car. If you park incorrectly a hundred times, you’ll eventually get a parking ticket. Not everyone will get one immediately, but you certainly will at some point. Should we feel sorry for those who park incorrectly? Shouldn’t every driver know that, just like everyone who uses MakerWorld and is constantly reminded of the picture rule? Every single time you upload something you will be reminded.

It’s really worth taking the 5 minutes, that’s all it takes, and reading the rules. Even for experienced users, it’s worth taking a look if you’re unsure about a particular 3D model.

The title here deals with general errors (minor violations, to be precise). I am not only interested in print profiles.

I was only responding to the objection based on print profile removals, nothing more.

You are in favour of punishment, no matter how harsh it may be and whom it hits.

No, I’m in favour of rules with clear consequences that are enforced uniformly. I’m not in favour of punishment

But the side you take in this discussion is probably determined by what has already happened to you. Or how empathetic you are

You have a strange fixation with making this into personal attacks about empathy. It’s very odd and somewhat disturbing. But seems like a pattern of behaviour for you so I’m going to stop engaging from this point.

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@Davyd I completely agree with you.
“I just never printed it myself (no pic of physical print) because it would have been a waste of filament.”
This does not deserve empathy nor leniency.

Dura lex, sed lex