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Some clarifications about the Downvote

Hi everyone, ✌️

Thank you very much for your feedback in relation to the Downvote. 👎
We totally understand that many/most of you are not happy with it.

However, based on the feedback we're reading, I'd like to clarify some points:

1) If your posts/replies frequently have many good reactions, and sometimes you get 1 or 2 downvotes, out of MANY good reactions, [b]you really shouldn't have to worry[/b]. 👍

2) If there is a user that has been downvoting you in many posts, [b]that user will eventually start seeing less contents from you[/b]. 📉

3) You don't have to worry [b]if a user tries to use multiple accounts to downvote you. Either the system knows about it already, or will know in the future[/b], and that will only go wrong on that user, [u]and never affect you[/u]. 🚩
Only a few users have attempted this so far, and we've sent notifications to those users. The targeted users [u]were not affected[/u] by the fake downvotes.

4) A comment or post will only be pushed down [b]if the amount of downvotes surpass the amount of good reactions[/b] (and only if a [u]minimum[/u] of downvotes was reached, for that to happen). You [u]don't have to worry[/u] about the visibility of your contents being impacted [u]just because of 1 or 2 downvotes, when you got several good reactions[/u] too. 📊

5) Even if a post of yours got more downvotes than good reactions, [b]it doesn't mean that your audience will be impacted on other stories/questions that you post in the future[/b]. It only affects the post that got downvoted. 📚

5) The downvote does have a slight impact on your account reputation, but [b]that impact is VERY negligible[/b]. If you [u]maintain a much higher amount of good reactions, versus the amount of downvotes[/u], [b]your account will NEVER suffer any consequences[/b]. Only accounts who have more downvotes than good reactions are the ones that will be really impacted. 😊

[b]In summary:[/b] You don't have to worry if you get a few downvotes here and there. Only if the amount of downvotes surpasses the amount of good reactions (very rare cases), you would be affected. [b]Only troublemakers will be affected by the downvote.[/b]

I want to apologize again for not being clear in my original post when it was announced.

---

Thank you for your support and we hope you continue to stay with us.

We are constantly listening to your suggestions, so please keep giving them to us, as they are very important to the future of Similar Worlds.

Very kind regards, 🧡
- The SW Team

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PirateMonkeyCabinet · 36-40, M

I was gonna ask for clarification if this then meant that this applied globally, but I see you've answered that for others. You might want to edit that into your opening post in cleartext that "heavily downvoted post will be pushed down on [u]everyone's[/u] feed".

I've tried asking this many times before without getting a clear answer, will we have a way to see the unfiltered, chronological feed for those of us who want to decide for ourselves if a post is interesting to us or not?

[b]EDIT: [/b]Gotten an answer to this in another comment. They are considering it (but not definite answer yet it seems). For more info read the last few replies on this comment:
https://similarworlds.com/groups/admin-announcements/4015628-Some-clarifications-about-the-Downvote?rid=48052471
[b]END OF EDIT[/b]

[sep]

[quote]5) The downvote does have a slight impact on your account reputation, but that impact is VERY negligible. If you maintain a much higher amount of good reactions, versus the amount of downvotes, your account will NEVER suffer any consequences. Only accounts who have more downvotes than good reactions are the ones that will be really impacted. 😊[/quote]

You keep saying it has minimal impact, but never clearly specify what this supposed impact actually is. Minimal impact is still some impact, so what does this "minimal impact" entail? And for those accounts that get more downvotes than good reactions, what kind of impact do they receive?

Also, what happens if a post is made by a user that tends to be fairly invisible to the masses here, at a time with low traffic and they get 3 downvotes and 1 heart on their post. Does the system then say "oh hey, it's a 3 to 1 downvote, this is a horrible post so let's push it down"?

[sep]

[quote]As for the Downvote, if the amount of [valid/legit] downvotes surpass the amount of good reactions, then that post will be pushed down to everyone, because it's obviously not a good post/comment.[/quote]

I think this is a bit of a bad leap to make. It could indeed mean it is a bad post... or it could mean it is a legit acceptable post that goes against popular opinion. This is one of the dangers of this system if you ask me.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@PirateMonkeyCabinet Excellent analysis.

PirateMonkeyCabinet · 36-40, M

@MartinII Thank you.

SW-User

@PirateMonkeyCabinet Precisely my problem. This is touted as a means of curating your own experience (i.e. seeing fewer of a user’s posts the more you downvote their content) but it affects everyone’s experience by pushing comments and posts that others don’t like out of the way. We don’t all agree on what we don’t like and don’t want to see.

OogieBoogie · F

@PirateMonkeyCabinet you've Clarified some of my concerns too.

One person can make or break a person who is feeling vulnerable.

And feeling like you're being ignored is evrn worse 😔

PirateMonkeyCabinet · 36-40, M

@OogieBoogie Yeah, I worry about those who are already on their limits here. I'm not gonna name any names here but I know of people here who struggle with heavy depression and a feeling that they are useless and not worth anything. It's hard enough as it is for them, but getting downvotes in this way (regardless of the "minimal impact") would be a massive reinforce their thoughts of being useless, worthless and unwanted.

I've brought this up before, more than once, as one of the reasons why I think it's really bad that downvotes are at all public.

And should they end up getting enough downvotes to be pushed down that's even more detrimental. They post a plea of help, and because the current online clientelle don't want to see posts about depression those who would want to reach out will have a much harder time coming upon the post.

HootyTheNightOwl

@PirateMonkeyCabinet [quote]I've brought this up before, more than once, as one of the reasons why I think it's really bad that downvotes are at all public.

And should they end up getting enough downvotes to be pushed down that's even more detrimental. They post a plea of help, and because the current online clientelle don't want to see posts about depression those who would want to reach out will have a much harder time coming upon the post.[/quote]

And that's one of my biggest concerns... I've already been blocked before now for being so depressed that I was suicidal.

That's when I need my friends the most - not to have restrictions placed on me or the visibility of my posts.

PirateMonkeyCabinet · 36-40, M

@HootyTheNightOwl Exactly. While SW has over time become less and less a support site, it still houses a lot of people who have serious struggles. Even if there were no restrictions placed or reduced visibility of posts, just seeing the downvote itself can have an effect.

But it feels like the staff sees this purely as a numbers game and at times forget that their users are actually humans behind those screens.

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