• the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        01·
        2 months ago

        I’m the same! If the comment contains the word downvote in it, it’s a DV. I even downvote my own haha! It’s a silly little reminder to myself how little they matter

  • Luci@lemmy.caEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    Apparently it’s the button you press to get banned from a community.

    ASK ME HOW I KNOW

  • ekZepp@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    Downvoters!?! I always thought the arrow ⬇️ was the button to scroll down the page!!! My God …all those dislikes! 😨

    • RagingHungryPanda@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      That’s actually surprising to me, because I’d think that down voting whack stuff would make things better overall. What was happening? It’s not like people know who it was, or were down votes done out of spite?

      I also couldn’t help but notice some super conservative instances I’ve seen have down votes disabled.

      • anaesidemus [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        Downvotes were disabled because posts that touched on trans issues were routinely downvoted, often by the same users. Those users were purged and downvotes disabled to good effect.

        Uninformed posters are given information if they are sincere.

        Malicious posters get dunked on before getting banned.

        It has worked very well in my opinion.

      • ClathrateG [none/use name]@hexbear.netEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        My perspective is that without them bad takes get called out, and if the poster is redeemable they can engage with constructive criticism and learn something from the replies

        Rather than people downvoting and moving on which can lead to resentment on a posters behalf if they don’t understand why a position of theirs may be getting downvoted

  • Cris@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    Earnest question- what is it supposed to be used for? I don’t downvote people very often, but I think I’ve only ever seen it used express approval or disapproval so that the score reflects community sentiment

    How is it supposed to be used?

    • HereIAm@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      In addition to what others said, in comments the down vote is meant to be used on comments that don’t further discussion in good faith.

      I used to subscribe to that idea, but I’ve since changed my mind. If the far majority use upvotes to mean agreement, then me upvoting a controversial, but well structured, opinion will likely be viewed as agreement as well.

      It’s a nice idea to think the voting system is meant to promote discussion, instead of homogenise opinions in a community.

  • rickyrigatoni@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    I’ll stop using the downvotes as a disagree button when everyone else stops using upvotes as an agree button.

    • kattfisk@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      I actually think up- and downvotes are inherently asymmetrical in this respect.

      Upvoting things you agree with is fine and a main use of the function. Why then is downvoting things you disagree with wrong? Because the purpose of voting is visibility, you upvote things you want people to see, like arguments you agree with, and downvote those you don’t think people should see.

      Now if you believe in having an open discussion you don’t want to suppress posts just because you disagree with them. Disagreeing is fine, so downvoting is reserved for posts that detract from the conversation.

      • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        you upvote a comment saying they love cats
        you ignore a comment saying they don’t like cats
        you downvote a comment saying they hate cats because cats are evil
        and you report a comment saying they eat cats

  • Z_Poster365 [none/use name]@hexbear.netEnglish
    11·
    2 months ago

    Downvotes are definitely a disagree button and anyone denying it is just coping or lying about their own usage of it. Reddiquette was the worst thing that ever happened to internet culture

    • chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      Reddiquette was the worst thing that ever happened to internet culture

      I can agree that they end up being a disagree button in practice, but you’re saying they should be a disagree button?

        • chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          Almost anything else or nonexistent. Maybe a way of filtering lazy, unhelpful, or uncivil comments. Downvotes being a disagree button just seems blatantly toxic. Expressing disagreements calls for using actual words.