Ok… Been thinking about this a lot.
To answer your original question How Can We Fix The Mess That Is The Trending Section? I have a really extreme idea that I reckon people would laugh at.
Clearly, a lot of the problem is that while so many of these covers are technically okay, they send the wrong message. They basically prove that sex sells and make us think their story is nothing more than porn.
So the solution: everyone uploads the exact same sexy cover of two half naked people making out for their story. The review team will be like “WTF” at all these covers being submitted, then when they’re all reviewed and approved, all our stories will get a shit ton of reads, trending authors who take advantage of the fact that sex sells will be crying and I will be laughing my ass off from the other side of my computer screen. Thoughts?