Not a foolproof voting process

harinisripada · Apr 28, 2009

Dear Senior ILs and IndusLady,

The voting when invited from all over the internet without even registrations is allowing us to vote several times for each entry and even different entries...

I was just curious about the voting system because we are also inviting outsiders to vote, so after I voted for one entry with my own login (I voted for himrav) and then I logged out and cleared private data from the browser and then voted for a different entry as an anonymous guest... I could easily do so...

I tried the same for same and different entries too.. I was able to vote for "Best Entry" four times just by clearing cookies from the browser...

So maybe there are some loopholes we forgot to check...

My humble suggestion is to put up a panel of judges of senior ILs or allow only IndusLadies who have a certain number of posts/blogs to vote for the entries... Since there are hardly 50-60 entries, it would be easily possible to do so...

Please ensure that your contests are fair to people who may be unable to bring in a lot of readership from family and friends... (A college lecturer for instance, could ask all her 500 students to vote for her entry, but others may only be able to inform the same to 5-10 close relatives ...)

Please consider this serious flaw urgently. If I sit at my computer for 2 hours, I could easily vote 100 times for my own entry!!! ;-) ;-)

Regards
Harini

Devika Menon · Apr 28, 2009

Dear Harini,

Im surprised to know about these loopholes. Yes I too had my reservations regardin the voting system. Now I am a psychologist and have patients or clients. They are my source of interaction. I cant tell them go home click this link and vote for mebonk

And I do agree about the panel of judges. That seems more viable. Especially since the voting has little or nothing to so with your writings.I dont even see a link of the written blog where the voting poll is conducted.

Thanks for bringing things to our notice Harini....

Love,
Devika

Padmasrinivas · Apr 28, 2009

Dear Harini,

I am quite taken aback to read about the loopholes and wonder how to plug them...

I think I second your thoughts, I quote

"My humble suggestion is to put up a panel of judges of senior ILs or allow only IndusLadies who have a certain number of posts/blogs to vote for the entries... Since there are hardly 50-60 entries, it would be easily possible to do so... "

I am a homemaker and part-time translator, I do not have any way of asking others to vote....apart from iLites who may read my blog...

The point is more about appreciating a good blog, and i am very glad you thought it fit to bring this discrepancy to the notice of ILites and readers in general, as also the Moderators and Supermoderators.

I shall await further developments with interest!

Thanks once again,

Padma

sundarusha · Apr 28, 2009

Dear Harini

I too am shocked by all these loopholes.

I think asking friends to vote for me is something I will not consider.Even if I did, I lack the time which could be put to better use.

The originality and quality of the post should be the best criterion, in my humble opinion.

Thanks for bringing these matters to our attention

Usha

Kamla · Apr 29, 2009

Dear friends,

The initial post and the subsequent feedbacks have been brought to my attention by a well wisher.
I agree with all of you.
I shall bring this to the attention of the concerned and I am sure it will be dealt with in a fair manner.

L,Kamla

Induslady · Apr 29, 2009

Hello everyone, thanks for writing in. This two way feedback is really helpful.

When I designed the poll I took care to ensure that votes from same cookie are not allowed. I thought about the fact that someone could delete cookies and do duplicate voting. The only way to stop that a to restrict multiple votes from the same ip. I didn't restrict ip because of two reasons..

1. I didn't think that cookie deletion would be widespread. Afterall what is the pride and pleasure in winning that way.
2. Restricting ip would restrict two individuals from that same ip network to vote. It would be unfair to say x couldn't vote just because y from the same ip network has already voted.

However, after seeing this feedback I went and restricted double voting from a single ip regardless of cookie status. Double voting from the same cookie is also restricted regardless of ip status.

Devika's feedback on adding a link in our voting page to all entries is a good one. We are going to do that soon.

Regarding the contest structure, our monthly finest blog contest is done exactly the same way as harini proposed. This mothers day contest has an auxillary objective of driving more readers to indusladies blogs and we thought the current contest structure is the best way to accomplish that. We want to ensure that the rules of the game are spelled out upfront and I believe we have done that. We will continue to run the monthly finest blog contest the way harini has proposed and we hope all of you can nominate your finest blogs for that. Unfortunately, I cant change the mothers day contest structure midway. Thank you.

PS I moved this thread to suggestions and feedback forum.

harinisripada · Apr 29, 2009

Dear Induslady,

I understand the purpose of the Mother's day blog as increasing readership... but if you look at the votes results, it is very skewed, there are several entries that are superior, but have not been voted at all...

To increase readership, please do announce a popularity prize or prize for increasing the readership at indusladies for the most number of votes, but please do not allow these skewed votes to judge the best blog... please give the best blog a proper chance by continuing the earlier process, not one who can garner the most number of readership...

P.S: Lest you think this is about my entry to the contest, no it isnt.... I myself voted for someone else only, not for my own entry... There are several comments in the results page which confirm the same issues as above... and no, disabling duplicate votes from same IP is not going to solve the problem now at this late stage... There are several entries out there which are superior in terms of Humour, Presentation and even concepts that are unique... I would request voters to please read all entries and vote for the best blog ...

Regards
Harini

swathi14 · Apr 29, 2009

Hai Harini,

Really taken aback to know the loopholes in voting. I know our induslady team will manage this problem also.

Like in OLYMPICS - the participation in the game is more than winning.

andal

muzna · Apr 29, 2009

Dear Harini
I was thinking of these points that you have pointed out ,esp when we are asking others to vote for us, so the point that whom can one ask and the motive of the voter is suspect too....but I did not point it out as I could make it out that it was being done to increase viewership of the IL.
But I think you did right by pointing out the ip loophole ,and dear Induslady has changed the process a bit. But the 1st round of results seem to have been affected already.
Best of luck to all.

CrocodileTales · Apr 29, 2009

This is really bad. I think Polldaddy or whoever is responsible for the poll must be able to identify the polls coming in from the same IP and must disqualify those contestants altogether. What is the use is having a contest if the judging process is flawed? I agree, that participation is reward in itself, but then, we cannot possibly solicit votes from our friends and well-wishers fully knowing that someone somewhere has misused a loophole and is making a mockery of this entire contest.