On 2026-09-09 we changed how photo scores are computed. Existing scores were updated too.
What changed
A photo's score is the average of its ratings, and each person's ratings count a little differently. Until now that weight came from how many ratings you had given and how many photos you had uploaded.
Now we also look at how evenly your ratings are spread. If you use 1 to 5 by your own taste, your ratings count as before. If you give almost everything a high score, or almost everything a low score, they count for less. This does not apply while you have only a handful of ratings.
Why
Ratings piled at one end say little about which photo is better, no matter how many there are. The change puts more weight on ratings that actually tell photos apart.
Things to know
- The weight is set at the moment you rate. Rating more later does not change the weight of ratings you already left.
- If you re-rate the same photo later, its weight is set again as of that moment. If your rating habits changed in between, the weight can change too.
- The new rule was applied once to all stored ratings. Some photos may have shifted by a fraction of a point.
Where to check
On your profile page, under "Ratings given", you now see the avg and SD of your own ratings. An average somewhere in the middle and an SD that is not too small is all you need.
Other changes
- Before your first rating a short intro card appears. Two more cards appear once, after your first rating and when you reach 5 stars.
- After an upload you now land on the main rating feed instead of the photo page, with an "Uploaded" card at the top.
- "Back" on a photo page returns to the browse tab and page you came from.
No comments yet