Yes Incomplete profiles are becoming a problem. Christian Graugart the site owner has brought this fact to all of our attention. Many of us used to see these incomplete profiles and just move on and vote for other properly filled out profiles. What has been recommended to us all is to dispute that profiles until the user completes their profile. PLEASE HELP Christian enforce properly filled out profiles.

I agree Mark but it is an uphill battle. Even when you try to help them some react negatively to your advice. Best just to leave them unverified till they start asking why. There are various reasons folks fail to completely fill out their profiles. Among them are laziness, ego and a sense of entitlement. If they can't be bothered, neither can I. Just my 2cents

How do you define 'incomplete'?

How do you define 'incomplete'?

it's not perfect criteria, but not having any photo evidence of promotions and competition medals would be 'incomplete' to me. and to me, a link to IG is not enough. If you've got promotion pics on your social media, get that onto your beltchecker.

it's not perfect criteria, but not having any photo evidence of promotions and competition medals would be 'incomplete' to me. and to me, a link to IG is not enough. If you've got promotion pics on your social media, get that onto your beltchecker.

I agree. I don't have the time to start searching peoples social media to do the work they should have done when completing their profile. If you have pics or other documentation, put it on your profile. The last 10 or so profiles I clicked on to try to verify didn't even have their basic info complete.

My definition of incomplete, again its my definition. But in belt history not having pictures in each belt or at least most belts. No pictures in gallery, no video of competitions and or rolling at their gym. No social media. Its a combination of all of them really for me. In today's day and age there is not excuses for not having some sort of pictoral history of training.

It would be nice if there were some kind of neutral 'needs more info' vote. Which would let people know that you're interested in voting for them without turning them off to the site. I remember seeing a post on FB a while ago from someone who was shocked and upset that she was being downvoted. It just kind of sends the wrong message.

I did consider this at some point, but for several reasons chose not to implement it. Instead we have the wall on the profiles where you can send people a neutral message and ask them, for instance, to complete their profile :)

In my experience, people don't respond or don't care about wall posts. Disputes get their attention.

As a new member, the pictures are set as 'optional.' I took that as such, and didn't upload pictures of belt promotions and whatnot. The disputes did catch my attention, and I corrected myself. So, if the community wants photographic evidence as proof, then those fields should be required.

Exactly, in todays day and age of camera phones there's no excuses to not document properly

I'm fairly certain that most of the major landmarks in my life are not photo documented. As far as bjj goes, I definitely don't have any pictures of my blue or purple belt promotions. Surely people will feel comfortable verifying profiles based on other criteria? Especially since now the ball is really rolling with this site, and therefore 'pre-verification' isn't as much of a necessary thing. For example, I only verify folks I really know in real life, or who are otherwise well-known in my region, or are some sort of bjj celebrity it something. I feel like pretty much anybody would be able to stage a promotion, but not many people could fake their level with real-life results. I can't imagine down-voting someone who didn't get a picture or a diploma from when they got their blue belt in 1998...

Mind you, I'm not saying you HAVE to provide photos of each promotion or competition. Or a certificate for that matter. But when a profile doesn't have a single photo of the person with their instructor, it's not a good look. This is especially true for black belts (who have to set the standard). If you can't produce a single photo of you & your teacher by the time you get promoted to black belt, it raises questions if Le Fuckéry = afoot. FRAT version: Adding a picture or two of you with the person who has promoted you to your profile, is never a bad idea.

What about profiles that are complete, with pictures of promotions, etc? I'm new here, but what is the time frame to have a profile verified? My head instructor isn't on beltchecker, but he is a very reputable black belt, Nic Gregoriades. Most of the guys I train with and know in my jiu jitsu circles aren't members either. I can see some have started to create profiles, but many of them will find themselves in a similar position, waiting for votes to verify.

It depends on belt color, the high the belt the more points are needed. And participating in the forums are alway good for exposure, it help in people getting to know your name.

Hey Mark, I will make sure I'm getting myself out there as best I can. Thank you for the advice. I know this probably isn't the forum for this, but maybe I can introduce myself. My name is Paul Cunningham, I'm currently a brown belt under Nic Gregoriades. We have been friends for a number of years and are fellow South Africans. If anyone of you would like to check my profile out and vote I would be hugely grateful or even share advice on how I can strengthen the profile that would also be awesome. Have a great day to you all.

Thanks Mark