Suspended for being in Backerclub?

[jcsoup]

I just received an email from Kickstarter telling me that I have had my ability to post and send messages suspended because of recommending Backerclub. I only sent messages directly to creators on projects that I had already backed. I sent real messages (not canned) and included a referal link.
Apparently this is not allowed on Kickstarter.
If I can't send the creator of a project a message and include a link, is there any legitimate way to use referals on Kickstarter?

[IsrealNahsohn]

Oh no, not another person suspended. Did you get the rule that KS is mentioning shown to you? Also, do you know which project turned you in?

Isreal

[jcsoup]

I sent emails directly to the creators (not public posts) of four projects. I received emails back from two creators thanking me for the tips. One signed up with Backerclub. I did not use canned messages, but included a Backerclub referal link at the bottom of the messages.
I don't know if a creator turned me in or if Kickstarter monitors the message system. The rule they cite apparently is 'no hawking 3rd party services.' The email I got from Kickstarter does not allow me to reply or provide any way to contact them and ask any questions.

[IsrealNahsohn]

Hmm ....interesting. I'm concerned as I link posts I make at different services. Hopefully they are not monitoring our messages.

I am very sorry you have to deal with this. Were you to,d how long you can't post? The other person also had his account locked so he couldn't bid or keep pledges during that time frame if I recall.

Isreal

[jcsoup]

I was just suspended from posting or using the message system until June 10th. It isn't a big deal, but it does have a negative effect on me. I don't like seeing spam in the comments section, but how many messages do creators really get through the site? You have to hunt very hard to find the link to contact a creator. If someone goes to that effort, then the project creator should be thankful.
If I find out that a project creator turned me in, I will cancel my pledge. I wouldn't want to support anyone with that kind if negative business attitude. You don't bite the hand that feeds you.

[Rhonda T]

I was just suspended from posting or using the message system until June 10th. It isn't a big deal, but it does have a negative effect on me. I don't like seeing spam in the comments section, but how many messages do creators really get through the site? You have to hunt very hard to find the link to contact a creator. If someone goes to that effort, then the project creator should be thankful.
If I find out that a project creator turned me in, I will cancel my pledge. I wouldn't want to support anyone with that kind if negative business attitude. You don't bite the hand that feeds you.

At least it is only for a week and only affects messaging, but still annoying and I agree, why do they need to take the step of reporting you, just delete the message and move on if they aren't interested or don't want to respond, why hurt a backer who is just sharing information.

Interestingly, and I can't remember which KS campaign I saw it in, but I saw comments from a user calling themselves BackerClub, I am assuming it was Mark or someone else from BC admin, but not sure) posting to a creator about advertising their project in BC. Wish I could remember the project to see if KS took it down or not. There was a reply from the creator and a few backers about reasons they did not want to use BC, including negative feedback about having to post the BC banner at the top of their campaign page. Anyway....

If KS is going to start suspending anyone who mentions BC, Mark and team may need to take another look at their referral program.

I have not been actively referring Creator's to the BC, but I have on a few occasions messaged a creator directly to let them know that I posted about them on the BC forums in an attempt to help them get the word out about their project. I have only done this a few times, but something similar may be a roundabout way to refer creator's without outright referring them, that hopefully isn't a strong enough action that KS could suspend privileges for the communication, but would open the dialogue with an interested creator, that could then be continued offline. In each of the instances that I have done this, the creators have messaged a thank you and the concersations have ended there. (Of course the mini-conspiracy theorist in me just had a thought that KS probably has someone who is a member of BC and monitors these forums for just this kind of conversation:) )

Anyway, sorry to hear about your suspension and thank you for letting the rest of us know about it here.
Cheers
Rhonda

[jcsoup]

I have a feeling that Kickstarter has a bot that detects links sent through their message system. If they had a person monitoring this forum my message to that person would be Get an email account! It is terribly rude to send someone an email with the subject line IMPORTANT Info about your account while using a Do-not-reply account.
What gets me is that Kickstarter is a social platform that is connected to other platforms and they encourage users to share everyhing on Facebook and Twitter and other sites. So they encourage spam, as long you don't share anything remotely spamlike on their site.

[Rhonda T]

They do make it incredibly difficult for backers to engage in any sort of two-way communications with them It is one of the biggest complaints that I have about KS. It is even more troubling when they take action against you and you have no way to engage in a constructive conversation with them (who are acting as police, judge, prosecutor and jury), or even to just get more information.

[TashaTurner]

This has happened to others before. We have at least one other thread on the topic.

Contacting too many creators around the same time may trigger some algorithm. They do have a spam policy which is why it's better to have made comments, shared the project tagging them, and possibly starting a PM conversation not mentioning BC right away.

I have the BC referral links in my profile. Occasionally I'll add them to my signature if I'm giving a lot of advice, I've had contact through multiple channels with the creator, and I think they'd be open to the idea and a fit here. But it's in my signature possibly 1 out of <25 times I use the PM system.

I've seen this happen on a number of social media. Happens to authors a lot on Goodreads.

Sorry it's happened to you.

[IsrealNahsohn]

Thanks for the update....question for you.....are you saying that after you see a post here on BC that isn't a BC project that you post a message to the project owner to join or you message to say that you noticed the project here?