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+1 vote
2.7k views

I've noticed that some cachers are using [FTF ] whenever they feel like.
When asked why they are placing FTF-tags they answer:

you count the First to Find 'that do not exist in the regulation Geocaching), I count the Friendly to Find

So they know what they are doing and are doing it on purpose. I don't know why, must be fun to annoy people, or to be first placed in the stats (where they don't belong).
How do you feel about this? 

in Miscellaneous by Sportilicious (1.9k points)
Sounds like the sort of person that would cheat at patience. Wait a minute - I cheat at patience. I wouldn't cheat with my stats though :-)

10 Answers

+8 votes

So this movement finally reached also me and I got a notification, that somebody modified his log and added a {FTF} mark to his log, which is even before the cache publication (I noticed just now that the date was so wrong). This guy is is called Schmollkof and he is using the old "Friend to Find" icon from two year old Groundspeak event, where they "accidentally" used the same shortcut even created a badge for profile (not sure if there are other people doing the same under the same name, or others really call it even "friendly to find"):

As already said many times, this is not unintentional creation of game-in-game, but invading into FTF game-in-game and misusing there is no rule that would allow cache owners to regularly delete the logs (since FTF is not officially approved).

Anyway, I deleted that log and really encourage other cache owners who will see this to do the same (Edited Logs notification feature in PGC is a friend for this). This is very childish way of having fun. When children break other people toys, they are usually punished.

Edit: Thanks for comments updating where this icon comes from. I already forgot that there was such event. Anyway, the outcome was that affected user logged the cache again, with correct date and without the offending tag without any further discussion so far so good.

by Jakuje (Moderator) (117k points)
edited by Jakuje (Moderator)
That badge appears to be 'official' and awarded by Geocaching.com for introducing muggles to caching. https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2016/09/dont-miss-this-ftf/
Oh ... I already forgot about this geocahing event years ago. So the mystery of the bagde is answered, but why logging FTF when there is no FTF, it is still unclear to me.
vote +1 because i aprouve that write jakuje
In that case FTF is also "official" because labcaches have a leaderboard and FTF mark ;)
The problem is that removing a log from a legit finder can get you a ban (unless the log is offensive, which in this case isn't).

Another option is to permanently encrypt one's log. The question is if PGC would still recognise the [FTF] tag.
+5 votes
Have never heard of this before.  But I honestly don't care.  It seems pretty foolish.

If they are doing it to cheat on a FTF challenge cache, and I owned that challenge cache, I would care.  But otherwise I would just roll my eyes and quietly mock them at events.
by hzoi (8.1k points)
+1 vote

I had not heard about it either ...
it seems to me a diversion, the first on the logbook or the first are FTF but in no case the following are ... if it happens on my cache I would ask that the log be changed

traduit par google translate

je n'en avais pas entendu parlé non plus ...
cela me parait un détournement, le premier sur le logbook ou les premiers sont FTF mais en aucun cas les suivants le sont ... si cela arrive sur mes cache je demanderais que le log soit modifié

by Chup'a (11.2k points)
0 votes
I hear about people that use FTF after every event they partecipated even if they did not show up. Maybe they want to look better than others
by Riccardo98 (1.4k points)
0 votes

Yeah, I think some folks just take pleasure in ruining other people's fun. If you don't care about FTFs then just ignore it. No need to purposely skew stats just because you don't agree with one tiny aspect of the game. Those "Friendly to Find" folks should learn to practice Wheaton's Law: Don't be a d*ck! 

by One90proof (490 points)
0 votes
I would query why they have to add the parentheses ( [ ] ) since they are simply making a statement about 'Friendly to Find' - which is fine - so just put FTF which, as we know doesnt get picked up in the First to find searches.

To add the parentheses does appear to be a deliberate act to muddy the First to find stats

or... are there Friendly to find stats too ?
by Deepdiggingmole (13.8k points)
0 votes
I have not come across this particular way of distorting FTF statistics so far, but as a CO I would certainly ask the person to change the log in a way that is not picked up by PGC for the FTF statistics (i.e. without brackets etc.).

However, I assume that this is a marginal phenomenon which does not really have a significant influence on FTF statistics.

There is, however, a different issue that has rendered them basically meaningless these last years. I do not know whether this is a widespread practice in other parts of the world, but here in Belgium it has become current practice (in some parts of the country) that organisers of events grant to all participants the opportunity to log an FTF on all caches of the event. As you can image this means that dozens of people log an FTF on dozens or more caches which they might have seen during the event (in the best case) or not. Contrary to the issue mentioned by you, which is limited to mala fide persons who deliberately want to cheat, these mass FTFs at events have created irritation in (parts of) the FTF community, but most of the people tag their finds at events as FTF without any bad conciousness, as the organisers of the event have allowed them to do so. The result, however, is evident: because of all these fake FTFs, FTF statistics have become meaningless and rather show now who regularly participates in events than those who still find pleasure in the good old FTF hunt, thereby spoiling the fun for the latter.

I had encouraged to implement a technical solution to this (cf: https://project-gc.com/qa/?qa=15272/any-possibility-to-exclude-mass-ftfs-from-statistics&show=15272#q15272), but this discussion has, unfortunately, petered out and has not lead to anyhting.
by k+gw+a (12.6k points)
0 votes
I would say they are welcome to flag a cache as "Friendly To Find" (whatever that means) but not in such a way that matches First to find flags. I would delete such logs and email them why I deleted it.
by the Seagnoid (Expert) (46.3k points)
0 votes
I would only use the FTF tag if I was the first to find. If they want to keep track of there friendly to find (whatever that is) they can make a list of the caches they decided were "friendly to find" or they could just not keep track of "friendly to find" and be normal cachers.
by VDotM (1.7k points)
0 votes
I feel they are cheating themselves and the Geocaching community. All we can do is be sure we don't stoop to their level just to boost our stats.
by Potatonator (11.3k points)
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