"because of this, I don't post pictures here anymore. because I'm a merchant, it can be classed as a ad :( "

Add that to those that don't post links anymore, myself included until something official was said, and that was pretty big issue. Everyone is affected. I don't recall you being involved, nemirc, so don't take my irritation at the whole thing personal. Like I said, the response made my question sound like something it wasn't and I simply wanted to clarify.

*"For Kendra, our sincere apologies for the situation where merchants were being told to "be modest in self crediting and don't link back to your own product".

That indeed was not handled as well as it could have been. In reviewing the situation, we have made sure that all of our team members, as well as merchants, are now operating with the same understanding.

Merchants may post gallery images with credit links to their products. However, they may not contain any ad copy or promotional text.*"

Thank you Lillian, I'm glad to hear that. That type of wording was a suggestion I voiced, along with others, as a very fair solution.
Considering that was the only serious issue I could come up with, that says to me that things were actually pretty good in general this year.

...... Kendra