Okay, so...

I like to check out the blog page every day just to see what's going on in the AFF community, and I've noticed there has been an outbreak of bashing on people who use upvote shops and get featured.

Now, I also think that it's wrong for the author's who used these shops to (specifically) get featured, but I don't think they deserve to be bashed about it. What they do with their free time is up to them, and if they feel guilty, that's their problem.

In all honesty, it's okay to use an upvote shop, so long as you don't use it in excess. Sometimes, it does take a couple extra votes for people to look at your story. And sometimes, ads and reviews don't always get noticed. So using an upvote shop is perfectly okay. But, using five different upvote shops for over 200 upvotes in a one to two day period, that's crossing the line. 

But, again, that's their decision. They have to live with the consequences of the guilt.

Here's the main reason I wrote this post.

DO NOT TRY AND GET THE SHOPS THAT CHARGE KARMA BANNED OR TAKEN DOWN!!

They did nothing wrong. If someone uses their shop, and then another and another, it doesn't make the shops the bad guys. 

There is nothing wrong with shops that charge Karma. If people want to spend their Karma points FOR A SERVICE DONE FOR THEM, then there's nothing wrong with it. It's an honest job here on AFF. It's part of the reason we have the Karma system. It is for the exchange of services and what not. What's the point of earning Karma if all it does is sit there, and you can't use it for anything worthwhile?

Saying that shops that charge Karma (and most are pretty reasonable charges, too) is like saying contests on AFF that give out Karma as prizes are also offhanded and wrong. But, of course you wouldn't want those taken down, since you have a chance of winning more Karma right?

Look, there's two sides to every story, and I think you need to look at both before deciding what to do.

Don't bash the authors who use upvote shops for advertising
(even if they do use it in excess, that's on their conscience. Take it up with them privately, in a nice manner, if you have a serious problem with them)
Don't bash the shops that charge Karma for services
(if people see their shop and wanna pay for a service, let them. That's their choice. It's not a violation of the karma system. Karma is like the currency on AFF - if a service is being provided for it, then why can't people who choose to pay, pay? It's not like they're forced to)
Don't start trying to take down stories and shops that do these things.
(Again, it's their lives. Talk to the author or owner PRIVATELY if your problem with it is that big of a deal, IN A MATURE WAY. Don't litter their walls with rude comments and don't report it without a good reason (charging Karma for a service isn't a good reason) and don't report without fessing up that you're one of the people who did, because you're no better than those who bought upvotes to get featured. Hiding behind something or someone else to get a say on a topic or to achieve something without all of the work needed to be put forth.)

Sorry if I offended any one, but this is just my opinion.

- Kai-ku

P.S I am not defending Upvote shops. I agree that they are wrong, and people shouldn't use them to get votes they don't deserve. But, other shops that charg Karma for legitmate services (like graphics, trailers, reviews, and ads) are getting effected by this, too. This is for them, in defense of them. Not upvote shops.