Add likes / dislikes to threads?

[Populus]

Personally I think that downvoting would be great if it were only used by users who wanted to show disagreement with post content. That could both help avoid bickering AND be a good rating system for responses in tech discussions. Unfortunately there's potential for abuse.

I think a good example of this can be observed in the iOS 14 let you add captions to Photos Post. Macrumors informed that from now on, we will be able to add a tag or description to our photos just like we can in macOS.

Several users expressed their joy about this feature in the comments, including myself, and one single user, who reacted as “angry” to the main post, started to downvote many comments who were excited about this new feature. Including mine of course.

Now what? Is this going to be a battle between those who like a feature, or rumor, or idea, and those who dislike it? And just because of that I have to carry the downvote? Sorry, I don’t like this method. Just voting in positive is enough to stand out the most popular ideas among the community.

This is just my humble opinion of course, feel free to disagree with me

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I think this is just the way it rolls when one set of people is tasked with enforcing rules. There will always be some that simply don't agree with how those rules are enforced, don't trust the people doing the enforcing, and/or feel that they are being treated unfairly - regardless of how carefully those in charge carry out moderation. Users with whom we agree will tend to trust us, users with whom we disagree will sometimes distrust us (I say sometimes because I don't think it's always the case).

I guess that is indeed 'how it rolls'. The moderation might not be correct, but its tough luck if the team don't want to admit it. Anyway, that's enough about that.

 

[annk]

I guess that is indeed 'how it rolls'. The moderation might not be correct, but its tough luck if the team don't want to admit it. Anyway, that's enough about that.

I would say that "team doesn't want to admit it "= "user doesn't agree with the admins review." Those are two different things.

By the same token, I assume that when a user takes the time to discuss with us and insists that s/he is in the right, that person isn't doing so because of a failure to admit something. I assume the user truly believes s/he is in the right.

We're talking about a difference of opinion where one party has the authority to decide.

I think this is relevant to the downvote discussion. As has already been mentioned, a user who wants to show disagreement in a news article and with anyone who is enthusiatic about it, might show displeasure by downvoting the news article and everything positive in the discussion. Or users who just don't get along in general might carry on a feud by downvoting each other's posts regardless of content. I don't think this is a good use of the downvote, it can in some cases be trolling, and it certainly doesn't allow for an exchange about a difference of opinion, as @The-Real-Deal82 and I just had. I think it's important that a user say something about why s/he disagrees. That way, others can read and consider the different sides of an issue and make up their own minds. A downvote icon is not going to help me see another user's side to anything.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I would say that "team doesn't want to admit it "= "user doesn't agree with the admins review." Those are two different things.

By the same token, I assume that when a user takes the time to discuss with us and insists that s/he is in the right, that person isn't doing so because of a failure to admit something. I assume the user truly believes s/he is in the right.

We're talking about a difference of opinion where one party has the authority to decide.

That’s the flaw, ‘a difference of opinion where one has the authority to decide’. I wouldn’t agree for example that your opinion is more important than mine in any given topic just because you are officially a member of the admins. Unless a post is obviously written and contravenes the forums rules, a mod shouldn’t be able to punish based on their own assumption regarding the intent behind it. We are individuals here and the admins don’t know anybody’s posting patterns or forum personalities by username. It’s just not credible and nothing to do with just disagreeing with the admins review. Unless the admin can clearly define where a poster has broken the rules, no action should be taken apart from perhaps a private discussion.

You’re definitely right about a poster spending time to contact the team to discuss. They wouldn’t do it unless they were convinced they were right.

 

[annk]

@The-Real-Deal82 it's not a matter of anyone's opinions being more important, but rather the fact that in a system such as a private web forum, some people have roles where their function is to decide certain things. You are of course entitled to think that that's not ok or that the people tasked with deciding don't do a good job.

Let's get back to the issue of the downvote. I think we've exhausted this discussion and we've both made our views clear. If would like to discuss this further on a specific level, please do make use of the contact us and we will be happy to discuss. If you'd like a general discussion and feel it can be done fruitfully without examples of specific moderation, start a new thread and the staff will participate.