I am going to be referring to the seventh point under the General section of Steamgifts Guidelines section under Help:

• When posting links or content, that content should not force users, encourage users through reward, or primarily exist as a traffic source for users to perform an action for promotional, commercial, or monetary benefit. Such actions include but are not limited to clicking a referral link, liking a Facebook page, following a Twitter account, joining a Steam group, completing a survey, or making a donation.

Here's my problem, in somewhat over-elaboration. Also not just complaining, but asking for a re-wording or a fix to make (almost) everyone happy, so it clearly states what can and cannot be done, and creates less havoc and confusion for the average user reading it word for word in the future.

Currently, everything on steamgifts, including entering a giveaway, breaks this rule as it is currently written.
Under the definitions of American Heritage Dictionary, New Oxford American Dictionary, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary, as sources, I have run into a plethora of inaccuracies, when used to check particular vague terminology in question, versus what I believed to be honest and dishonest, or slightly corrupt from fundamental truth or informative, factual information in reference to above rule as stated on November 24, 2018.

It cannot ever be "perfect", but it should be enforced across the board as stringently as possible, or leave it as is until changes occur...

If you need sources beyond what is stated for particular words that are currently in violation of the English language and the muddled wording of the above guideline, many sources are available online to check at your whim particular word meanings, if you think something in question is misleading or false as stated in the guideline above.

Main point: Nobody would enter giveaways if it did not encourage users through reward. It's not guaranteed, but neither are any other types of things being flagged as "against the rules" and being asked by users to remove parts or all of their materials, even when they are also creating these same giveaways at their own desires. They are all using same guidelines, based on assumed agreement by both individuals under whatever terms and conditions they assume responsibility for as thinking, free, human beings on the internet. I don't think we need to baby users and say "you cannot do this" or "you cannot see that". Still, if you want to take that role, be equal across the board. Don't give some preferential treatment, and force others to change.

If people don't want to see it, create a system/tool where people can "hide" the things they do not like, much like giveaways themselves, and like what already exists in some add-ons, if you want people to be "less annoyed". It'll promote your own business to keep these smaller people afloat as well... just saying, as devil's advocate, and in the same assumed "accordance" with above rules.... I mean, as long as it is within reason. People would be trash-talking all these bundle group/advertisers and reporting the bad behaviors if it seems really shady. I've seen plenty of stuff get removed. I mean, the average user isn't dumb. Give us some leeway! Or... crack down on everything! Don't do both... For the love of all that is true, honest, holy, virtuous, and pure, change this guideline so it makes sense! Everybody on steamgifts is practically dodging the guideline when it is read as stated.

I understand the merit of removing more advertising through steamgifts. It is good to crack down on it, but this rule is full of major holes. It's bleeding and needs to be patched up. Over the course of time, people usually are good at mediating their own issues on these subjects, and can ask for higher appeal when necessary. People creating curations are generally not abusing anything any more than the average other recruitment for this or that thing - and if they are abusing it, like bumping themselves on purpose many times a day, then that should be considered spam, and dealt with accordingly. If they have others adding to the thread, then it should be fine. If they are responding to others because they like to communicate their appreciation, this should also either not be confused as spam, or something I'd appreciate more, the topic cannot be bumped by the creator in a reply, etc. Many ways to tweak that problem though, as I suggested a couple already.

I suggest amending this rule to explicity state what can and cannot be allowed on steamgifts under said terminology referenced above. I like things simple, and to the letter. This rule was both blatantly ignored for a while, and for some reason one day it's enforced. Problem being: it has been so flexible that one can pretty much add or subtract whatever they want from this at any given time (as was the case with curations being asked to be removed in "Group Recruitment" - both are happening at the same time), based on the convoluted context this mess is currently in. You cannot have this both ways... and expect everyone to be happy with it and lie down as a doormat.

I'm a creature of habit. I like things simple. Either enforce something always, or let it go always - and here is the real key part - until it is updated! That's the magic right there! Then you may do as you see fit, based on update. It is clear to all, there are no misunderstandings, no confusion, and the referenced changes happen after that is established. Don't violate your own rules by being the pot calling the kettle black. Removing certain violators of this rule as written, and passing over other "more innocent" ones, such as other types of steam giveaway groups, invite-only puzzles, any groups you join that have rules outside of steamgifts, etc. etc., is still a foul. I am calling this extremely biased and judgemental.

Group Recruitment of any kind - by definition is existing as a traffic source for users to gain a benefit. It is promoting something for somebody. For fun, or for something else... it is a gain, you are adding. +1 is positive. Period. 1 + 1 = 2. 1 + 0 = 1. 2 is larger than 1. That's adding! People would probably not do any of these things (take puzzles for example) if there were nothing to motivate them to join. See the difference? Go ahead and see how many people do a puzzle if there isn't anything to win... Obviously a giveaway or more will make participation more attractive, which is against above rules.

On steam giveaway groups and the motivation: Smaller pools = more profit or gain, either in reality with pseudo-steam wallet idling, or just by again, adding more to their library. There are better chances of winning more games. Throw whitelist recruitment in there too, by the way. Pretty much every forum topic... Hell, even creating your own whitelist, you separated some from the rest, giving them an unfair advantage, for your own interests, whatever those may be. That's some sort of gain. Many do "whitelist for whitelist". Potential gains! The level tier system? Chances for more profits at the top, as you contribute more! They are all excluding people in terms of something, and promoting traffic, and somebody wins something, so it also violated this rule.

Invite-only giveaways on the whole on pages for awareness, etc. violate said terms. Every type of giveaway is violating this, unless they are posting in giveaways as the second part of the said rule in question states:

(Please note, in giveaway descriptions we do allow users and developers to link to their related Steam Greenlight, group, and store pages, as well as their social media channels. Users are also able to reference their group giveaways when posting in the Group Recruitment category of our forum.)

But if the giveaway is above level 0, you have excluded those that didn't bite on the encourage users through reward part of broken guideline, due to it being fundamentally built on a pyramid/pay-to-win style format. They broke the rules to get there, since that was their motivation.

Everything pretty much anywhere in the forums that contains any giveaways is basically violating the rules as currently stated. Even just "content" that gets added with no giveaways is promoted somehow, via forum traffic. It gets views.

So, why attack curation? I mention this, since this is where my angle on it comes into play. Why I feel it should be black or white, and not picking and choosing. You are not required to join curation, but you may follow the curation store, and the steam store curator group itself gets no guaranteed added benefit over the same steam group (compared to other stuff mentioned that is "passable" right now under discombobulated guidelines) since one doesn't have to follow curation. It isn't a Steam group. It is the off-shoot of the group, but is still part of steam - it works in the same manner as joining a group would in any context, but is less restrictive, I might add, than steam groups, since you can exploit groups, but not join their curations, if that is what the ambition or goal of said user.

I cannot track my curation followers through steam and reward them with separate group, and those who do not follow get same entitlement as those that do follow, as far as steamgifts giveaways go. My point is, it's still just joining a steam group, like the ones passed over - nothing in "Recruitment" under forum title, by definition, should be allowed right now that I could find, according to above rules. They are no better, and should not be treated as such. Curations should be for reviewing - and trying to expose decent games through some means of their own work. People are not asked to do any work in them. If they choose to follow, it is of their own merit, as is the same with every single link to any group or focus anywhere listed in the steamgifts forums.

And let us not forget: steamgifts site itself has patreon - so that alone is also breaking the rule in question as well. It's probably one of the worst infractions of the above guideline one could possibly think of, actually. So, why can the ones making the rules break them, yet expect everyone else to "turn a blind eye" and pretend nothing is wrong with that? It's hypocrisy.

In further support of honest curation, it can actually help promote steam development - and this should be the main reason they exist - which is kind of the point of curation to begin with, whether creating it, or supporting it in any way. It's based solely on Steam. Yes, the same Steam that has to exist to keep this place afloat to begin with. Trying to bring good games up that are hidden, or whatever the motivations of the group, the user that follows generally has an idea of what it is about before following, if they even want to! I'm attracting attention to it the same exact way a puzzle creator is, or a bundle games giveaway group, or any other type of group... whitelist recruitment, PSA giveaways that are invite-only, etc... as I stated above. Their carrot is usually a giveaway also, or something that encourages a reward. Am I not correct?

I'm still doing giveaways under a Steam Group, or group of some sort, and not My Curation Store follower page!! - they are two very distinct and separate things. Again, there is a curation store which has followers, and the Steam Group, which is what is the only filter that steamgifts is measuring. I know of no way to exploit this, but I sure would if I could, since just having a Steam group is already exploiting the rule to begin with - whether or not I see fit to do so is the same as with any other group out there, bundle-share or otherwise, who have their own sets of "rules". So... since they all have "rules" on their pages, isn't that a violation? If you don't "do a monthly giveaway", "play a game", "contribute regularly", "have a clean record on steamgifts (for sgtools for instance and any number of rules that can be created there... that's a big rule-breaker, if it's added in forums anywhere)", "give back for each game you win"*, etc. etc. I could go on and on.

While curation is not perfect, I was asked to remove my labels from "Group Recruitment", and while the current rule supports this action, it should go much further than it is going, and not targeting the few selectively, while it goes along breaking its own rules, and allowing certain others that break the rule to remain as they are. It should be amended to support the ones passed over that also violate the above rule in question at this current time.

A lie is a lie is a lie, whether it is a white lie, or an all out lie. It should not be protected. It is still wrong, and we should all be in agreement and understand clearly what the terms and conditions of a forum/site we use are. The more grey you have, the more potential for abuse of the system, rule, or mechanic in question.

tl;dr - Topic Title. Move along.