Hey all. I wanted to comment on the following banner on the VRChat Quick Menu:
Before I say anything, I want to clarify: I think Phia is great and so is the community she has. I have no problem in general with this being here. But I need to know:
Is this here because VRChat took it upon themselves to promote a community/creator? Or was this a paid advertisement/advert in exchange for services/goods by Phia?
I think it’s great if VRChat wants to promote communities, but I don’t want the VRC menus to become advertising spots.
I love the banner area for VRC-relevant information like what is usually shown there (even if it’s VRC+ advertisements), and I can see how this is relevant because it’s for VRChat events. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page about advertisement on this platform.
TBH, it’s a valuable spot and if it helps VRChat reach financial stability I’m cool with either answer.
Now, if VRChat had some kind of feed and peppered it with ads every tenth entry, then I’d have an issue, but tbh VRChat had better be hustling for reasonable revenue streams if we want it to stick around.
I wouldn’t mind some kind of banner and/or more public facing disclosure for what the banner is meant to be for. Maybe something like:
VRChat: Official banners from VRChat themselves about updates, events, etc.
Community: For any promotion of a specific Group/World/etc. where no money is involved.
Advertisement: For any kind of promotion where money has been paid to VRChat for the exposure.
Granted even suggesting the addition of paid advertisements is going to be controversial at the least if it is going to happen there should be open and honest disclosure if money has exchanged hands.
Either way, at least slapping something like “Community Spotlight” (credit to Juzo for the exact wording) onto banners like this would go a long way in easing people’s fears over how and why these banners are created.