Upon permission from SuperMarioBrosS, http://supermariobross.newgrounds.com, I have decided to put some of his reviews on cleaning up Newgrounds up in my journal, so that other users can see this and help out in the cleanup.

In this post, information about flagging flash submissions will be presented AND elaborated. Note that this isn't primarily focused on abusive reviews although it mainly is focused on abusive reviews. Without further ado, it will be unleashed:

Note: I know the proper verb usage is 'blow' instead of 'flag' in this case, but some people like to use the word 'flag' so I will use the verb 'flag' instead of 'blow'.

~ Terms of Service / Submission Guidelines ~

Q: Are there any general submission guidelines?
A: Yep. Here they are:

Read the Terms of Service (AKA the submission guidelines) carefully:

-We do not seek movies that are racist or excessively pornographic. Artists should use their best judgment, based one what they see here at Newgrounds.

Self-explanatory. If a movie is racist, has hardcore porn and/or posts NSFW (Not safe for work) shit without a warning, then flag it under this category:

This movie is unsuitable (e.g. hardcore adult, porn slideshow, hateful, illegal).

-We do not want "demos" that have no functionality. If an artist has a decent demo then he should consider posting them to the Alphas section. If we see multiple entries in the Portal such as "Crap Movie v0.3" then "Crap Movie v0.5", we will delete them because they are annoying.

This one is very tricky and dangerous. The Alphas from what I heard is not functioning well. Leave demos alone. If you flag them, chances are that the flags will be cleared and penalty will be given. HOWEVER, if the author is repeatedly crapping out entries with no difference, flag it under either of these 2 categories:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).
This movie is unsuitable (e.g. hardcore adult, porn slideshow, hateful, illegal).

Remember though, an admin reads all the complaints submitted when blowing an entry so even if it's in the wrong category, the admin will be able to see the reason the whistle was blown.

Again, flagging movies under this category is tricky. Best advice: avoid them.

- We despise movies that auto-redirect or auto-spawn windows to other sites. If people like a submission they will click on a link that takes them there anyway. If we catch a user using an auto-redirect or auto-spawn, the offending NG account may be deleted.

Self-explanatory. Flag it under this category:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).

-Artists should not beg for high votes. If a comment reads "Vote a 3 or higher and I'll make more" or something similar, we will most likely delete it. Also, ploys like "Vote a 5 if you support Napster!" warrant deletion too.

Now for THIS ONE, there is NO flagging option. So if you see something like this, send Wade a PM or leave the movie alone. Flagging it will screw your whistle. Besides, the voter can vote whatever the hell he or she wants; the viewer cannot do anything.

-Users MUST NOT upload movies that they did not make. We will ban the IP address of any offenders and Newgrounds suddenly won't be so fun anymore. Also keep in mind that a user uploading a movie to the Portal is making a legal claim that it is their original work. It is a good idea to put a Newgrounds validated e-mail address somewhere in the beginning or ending of a movie so we can easily determine if the movie is stolen or not. We also love it when users put the NG tank logo in their movies. Check out the NG Preloaders page!

YES, this one is deadly. If you upload a stolen movie, YOU ACCOUNT WILL BE FUCKING TERMINATED! Yes, that is right, DELETED! This isn't like the audio portal where if you submit copyrighted work, you'll be permanently banned. Your punishment for uploading stolen flash is ACCOUNT DELETION.

Out of flagging all the movies, flagging this one is the easiest. When flagging a stolen entry, provide links to the source it was stolen from and (if possible) the original author's name.

Obviously, flag it under:

This movie is stolen.

If you are the creator of the entry and feel your work was unfairly flagged, email wade@newgrounds.com immediately to explain the situation. Be sure to include your NG username and the name of this submission. The subject of your email MUST include "Newgrounds Help - Admin Review" or it will not be received.

There is a way to get out of the shithole if your work has been unfairly flagged. Email (not PM) Wade with the information and explain the situation. Just because something is under admin's review doesn't mean that the entry will be deleted.

If you broke any of the terms listed (other than stealing), you'll receive a hefty portal ban but not an account deletion (unless you commit multiple offenses). If you have stolen a flash, your account will be deleted.

~ Submission Guidelines in Flash Submission Page ~

Please note: If your movie violates any of the following rules, it will be removed and your account may be deleted.

That is written in red font.

- Your movie must not be someone else's work! We will delete your account as punishment. If you see something you like elsewhere, ask them to submit it, or notify us.

Like it says in the submission guidelines, submitting stolen flash will lead to account deletion.

Flag it under:

This movie is stolen.

- Your movie must not auto-redirect to a new site or open pop-ups! If your submission autospawns RPG links (such as Outwar or Urban Dead), your account will be deleted and admins for the target site will be notified.

Same thing has been said in the submission guidelines in the FAQ. If you see shit like this, flag it under:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).

- Your movie must not simply be an ad for your site.

This one is like the auto-spawn thing. Flag it under:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).

- Due to new laws, you may not submit photographic images of nude people engaging in sexual activity.

I must say, these 'new laws' are good laws.

Anyway, it is the same as the first guideline listed in the FAQ:

We do not seek movies that are racist or excessively pornographic. Artists should use their best judgment, based one what they see here at Newgrounds.

Flag it under:

This movie is unsuitable (e.g. hardcore adult, porn slideshow, hateful, illegal).

- Do not submit photographs that are illegal, such as child pornography and bestiality. We WILL contact the FBI!

Same thing as above. Flag under:

This movie is unsuitable (e.g. hardcore adult, porn slideshow, hateful, illegal).

- Your movie must not be racist or downright hateful towards specific groups of people.

Again, it's the same as the first guideline listed in the FAQ:

We do not seek movies that are racist or excessively pornographic. Artists should use their best judgment, based one what they see here at Newgrounds.

Flag it under:

This movie is unsuitable (e.g. hardcore adult, porn slideshow, hateful, illegal).

- You may parody existing Flash submissions, but you must use your own artwork and not rip another author's art.

If someone does rip another person's art AND parodies a flash submission, then flag it under:

This movie is stolen.

Be sure to explain the situation THOROUGHLY.

- Personal attacks towards other Flash authors will result in deletion.

If you see these, flag it under:

This movie is unsuitable (e.g. hardcore adult, porn slideshow, hateful, illegal).

- Your movie must not be a pointless "demo" or "preview" without any redeeming qualities.

This is where NG elaborates. They say that demos are prohibited in the portal and should be sent to the alphas; however, IF it has some redeeming qualities like some interactivity or has SOMETHING INTERESTING worth watching, then it is fine.

If it is pointless and has no redeeming qualities, flag it under:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).

- Do not submit movies or games made from public .FLA files, these will be flagged.

This is like stealing a movie. Flag it under:

This movie is stolen.

- Do not submit pictures in a slide show format with no interactivity. Quiz games are okay.

This is like posting a demo or preview with no functionality or redeeming qualities. Flag this under:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).

- Do not submit copyrighted video clips that you did not make.

Downright blatant; flag it under:

This movie is stolen.

- Do not submit crap entries with the intent to give users "free blam points."

If you see this happening, it's the same as submitting the same flash with no significant improvements. Flag it under either:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).
This movie is unsuitable (e.g. hardcore adult, porn slideshow, hateful, illegal).

- Do not swap out your original entry with something totally different, we will terminate your account.

If you're wondering how spam entries are getting past judgment, this is why. File swapping (that is what this method is called) is posting a legitimate flash and when it passes judgment, it is overwritten with a spam submission. Most often, it will be a flash tutorial and when it passes judgment, the bastards (spammers) will overwrite the tutorial with a spam submission.

Spam accounts are being deleted because of NUMEROUS REPEATED offenses of this rule.

- Do not re-submit your entry after it has been BLAMMED without making noticeable improvements. It will be flagged!

This is this guideline in different wording:

We do not want "demos" that have no functionality. If an artist has a decent demo then he should consider posting them to the Alphas section. If we see multiple entries in the Portal such as "Crap Movie v0.3" then "Crap Movie v0.5", we will delete them because they are annoying.

Flag it under:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).

- Make sure your submission has been properly rated. Entries with grossly inaccurate ratings may result in account termination or flagging.

This can go either way:

Let's say that Flash A has porn in it.
Now let's say that Flash B has content suited for everyone.

If Flash B is rated as 'adult', then it does not violate this rule.

HOWEVER, if Flash A is rated as 'Everyone', then IT IS violating this rule and your account will be terminated. If this is the case, flag it under:

This movie is unsuitable (e.g. hardcore adult, porn slideshow, hateful, illegal).

~ More Guidelines & Hints ~

Always check the email address of the author when flagging a submission. For example, if a flash comes from a 'gmail.com' domain but the author has a 'yahoo.com' address, then it could be stolen.

A flash that is already on NG that is uploaded again by a different person is obviously stolen.

If someone says 'I didn't make it, but this is the author: (Insert real author's name)', then flag as stolen. However, if a relative of a submitter (like say the submitter's cousin) has made the flash, then it may be left on the site. It's when you steal something from a completely different person that opens the flash to deletion.

The file size is something to look at. If a file size is small or too big, then it could be malicious or stolen. This one you shouldn't depend on when flagging a flash.

If a flash tries to do something with your computer (like log you off, eat up all of your computer's memory, spreads viruses, etc.) then flag it under:

This movie is malicious (e.g. auto-spawns pop-up windows).

Tips for finding stolen submissions:
- Look and see if the submitter has previous submissions
- If his first submission is good, you have the right to feel suspicious
- If the preloader is from a different site, then it's stolen
- Try a quick Google search and see if the flash is on another site

WARNING: IF YOU FLAG A SUBMISSION, YOU ARE RISKING YOUR WHISTLE. If the submission gets deleted, that's good because you will receive points for it. IF THE SUBMISSION IS CLEARED WITH FLAGS, YOU WILL LOSE A SHIT LOAD OF WHISTLE POINTS. Yes, you can PLUNGE from GOLD to GARBAGE if you incorrectly flag a flash. The curve is VERY NASTY compared to flagging reviews. The penalty is lighter for incorrectly flagging reviews in contrast.

If a movie you flagged passes, you do not lose or gain any whistle points. However, if it is deleted later, you will get whistle points and a blam point if you voted 0 or 1 during judgment.

If a movie you flagged that was under admin review is no longer under admin review, then you will have lost A LOT of points.

If a movie you flagged that was under admin review has been deleted, you get the whistle points.

Remember, the loss outweighs the gain BY A LOT!