@luxsylvan .. It is very sad but the truth is one major factor that drives all social media including the gallery is how popular you are. So, being in the gallery, creating and sharing, we all to some extent care a little to a lot about our own personal popularity. That said, think .. if your main focus was becoming more popular .. would you choose to spend 10-15 minutes of your time to give yourself 100 more downloads? It really is a drop in the bucket of time when doing that pretty much guarantees the self downloader a spot in the "popular now" section.
I've done the math as I stated in my original forum thread linked by the OP here:
1 minute = 10 downloads
5 minutes = 50 downloads ... etc.
This is happening .. Please do not go around guessing who is or is not doing it now though .. I don't want any more people whether they are doing this or not to be hurt. There has been enough of argument, frustration and hurt. Years worth to be honest. The way I see it we are all being hurt by this one easily manipulated loophole in the download system and I will beg again to anyone having the power to change this .. please make this a priority change for the gallery.
Sincerely,
Lisa
