Only logged in members can reply and interact with the post.
Join SimilarWorlds for FREE »

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

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

SapphicHeart · F

Dear admins,

First of all, thank you for recognizing that [i]many/most of us are not happy with it[/i], but then it stops right there. You won't give it any value, you made polls on the subject, and the majority voted it to be a bad idea, in the comments it's been elaborated, and it's still very much the same concerns that a lot of your veteran members are bringing to you after you just implemented it anyway. You've been adjusting things a bit, but as for your clarifications...

[quote][S]ometimes you get 1 or 2 downvotes, out of MANY good reactions[/quote]

[i]1 or 2 downvotes seems to be of importance, as you keep mention it in your "clarification" of the downvotes. What if it's 3 or 4? It's not unlikely it could happen?[/i]

[sep]

[quote][A] user that has been downvoting you in many posts, that user will eventually start seeing less contents from you[/quote]

[i]Frankly, the only clarification that makes any sense, and is to be looked at in a positive way. Imho.[/i]

[sep]

[quote]You don't have to worry if a user tries to use multiple accounts to downvote you. Either the system knows about it already, or will know in the future[/quote]

[i]Why won't we have to worry? The sytem doesn't detect when users gets back with new accounts to keep up "fucking around" with those they hate. Why would the system suddenly detect it now?[/i]

[sep]

[quote]A comment or post will only be pushed down if the amount of downvotes surpass the amount of good reactions

You don't have to worry about the visibility of your contents being impacted just because of 1 or 2 downvotes, when you got several good reactions too[/quote]

[i]What guarantee is there for a fully sincere, authentic, genuine and valid post won't be pushed down? Again, you keep bringing these 1 or 2 downvotes up. A lot of users have more than 2 haters.

Is this a way to force your members to block each other as soon as they don't see eye on stuff like sexuality, politics, religion, racism, abortions etc., as a way to avoid drama and establish echo chambers instead of decent ways of communication?[/i]

[sep]

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

[i]See the above comment made for the previous clarification.[/i]

[sep]

[quote]The downvote does have a slight impact on your account reputation, but that impact is VERY negligible. If you...[/quote]

[i]We were told it would have no impact on our reputation. Now it does, but we're told that impact is VERY negligible, though without any further explanation.[/i]

[sep]

Seriously, this isn't thought through, or you're not being honest with us all. I stand by my previous comments on this subject, about what I have said in the past when you had your poll in March 2018 as of when you announced this piece of new feature. It sucks.

Punish me for criticizing you [admins], if you must and tell me again that I am trying turning other members against you [admins] but I have still not gotten any answers on my concerns. I'm leaving out any "sarcastic" emojis.

Thank you,
Sapph

SW-User

@SapphicHeart 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

GJOFJ3 · 61-69, M

@SapphicHeart very well expressed

Peapod · 61-69, F

@SapphicHeart

SW-User

@SapphicHeart Well said. And those are concerns that should be addressed.

Amazing that the admins are accusing anyone of turning people against them. 🤦‍♂️

SW-User

@SW-User that seems to be be the message going around, that they won't be removing something they spent money to put in and that people are being hateful towards them

SW-User

@SW-User Perhaps they should've gauged how it would be received before implementing it, instead of springing it on everyone and then acting surprised and insulted that no one likes it. 🤷‍♂️

SW-User

@SW-User yup.. That's pretty much what everyone is saying

Lilymoon · F

@SapphicHeart Yep. perfectly said. 👌

Peapod · 61-69, F

@SW-User Funny thing is, is that I haven't been here for a short while and just read of this new change. I admit that I was shocked to see this implemented, especially with the push back of others that are really active here. I think a site is only as successful as how people feel about it.

I will say it again; I have NEVER seen a positive change in a site when anything has gone anonymous. EVER. There are too many people that will use it to be spiteful and I don't believe for a second that any real consequence will come to them for doing so.

SW-User

@Peapod I just started posting again after not having been here since fall of 2020 (and before that, I hadn't been here since 2017 with a different account). Yet when I rejoined in 2020 the site was basically the same as it was three years prior. I noticed new things like the new reactions, the "Top" page, the whiteboard and attributes...but none of those things fundamentally changed how the site works like the downvote feature does. This isn't just another change that people gripe about like they always do (I'm sure people griped about the whiteboards and the new reactions too). This [i]changes how the site works[/i] and does so for the worse, IMO.

Peapod · 61-69, F

@SW-User As many pointed out, downvoting WILL affect how much a post is seen! That is totally wrong because like you pointed out, some will jump all over that. Look how divided people are over politics? Some of us can ignore an opinion and move on, but there are others that will swarm it like a hive of bees and squash it, just because they can.

I predict that if negativity outweighs positivity as a whole, there will be a lot more people simply disappearing for good.

Not all of us come here for the "fight".

SapphicHeart · F

@Peapod
I already know of some leaving in the coming time, as soon as they cleaned up their profiles, aka deleting everything they contributed with over their stay.

Peapod · 61-69, F

@SapphicHeart I can't say I would blame them. It's not hard becoming a target in an online community. 😢

SapphicHeart · F

@Peapod
Neither can I. I had the "pleasure" being downvoted on a post and also on comments made. Actually the downvote on my comments was made inside the thread of the brilliant announcement of this splendid new feature. 😵

Peapod · 61-69, F

@SapphicHeart Had I not had any exposure to other sites that used downvoting and anonymity to mix, my opinion may not be as strong. What starts to happen is people start openly theorizing [i]who[/i] is doing the work.

Years ago, a handful of my friends and I had a personal falling out with another handful of people on a site that closed down just a few weeks later. So a lot of this alumni made it over to another site. The funny thing is, is that we chose not to be part of the new site, knowing some were quite toxic (2 actually became moderators for a time) and this small site was very open to the general public. This site allowed anonymous profiles and voting and guess what? I start getting private emails from people I knew from the old site, telling me that my friends and I were quite the sensation and the topic of many discussions of anonymous downvoting and profiles. It was sickening to say the least and at the time, I can tell you that I felt powerless to even defend myself and my friends over such bogus accusations.

Anonymous anything does NOT enhance any site. Period.

SapphicHeart · F

@Peapod
And I am aware of what happened back then , and how it followed you all to the other site where we met each other the first time. It's part of my experience and what I base my opinion on, that and my experiences from EP, and here as well. It's a downfall going this way.

Peapod · 61-69, F

@SapphicHeart That was a whole different site where we met. These characters did indeed tried to start trouble where we were, but did not last long at all. They were all banned from the site we were at and that event became new material for them. 😝

Funny thing though...they all eventually started fighting each other very openly and got banned on their own site as well, including one of the moderators. Had they not brought attention to themselves in regards to me in the first place, I would not have witnessed that grand fall-out.

As a footnote though, I have made peace with a few that did come with sincere apology. I have a better understanding of how the initial miscommunication started. As for the others, they are simply mean to the core and luckily they know not to come near me now. I would never sit back like I did in the past. I've been through enough in my personal life that my doormat days are over.

SapphicHeart · F

@Peapod
I support you and always will. I hope you know that. 🤗

Peapod · 61-69, F

@SapphicHeart Aww...likewise as well! 🥰🤗

SapphicHeart · F

@Peapod 😘

Nuno · Admin

@SapphicHeart

[quote]We were told it would have no impact on our reputation.[/quote]

We never said that.
What we said (even in the post above, if you read), is that as long as you keep a bigger amount of good reactions, your reputation will not be negatively impacted.

[quote]What if it's 3 or 4? It's not unlikely it could happen?[/quote]

If you get 3-4 downvotes without any good reactions, then it may have a negative impact, yes.
Depends on other factors too (we cannot disclose the algorithm).

[quote]The sytem doesn't detect when users gets back with new accounts to keep up "fucking around" with those they hate. Why would the system suddenly detect it now?[/quote]

As I said and you quoted, "Either the system knows about it already, [b]or will know in the future[/b]".

[quote]The sytem doesn't detect when users gets back with new accounts[/quote]

That is an absolute lie. You are only aware of those accounts that were able to successfully bypass the system,
but (thankfully) you're not aware of the dozens of daily accounts created that are automatically restricted.

Also, we use different ways between detecting someone creating a new account to create trouble,
versus,
2 accounts downvoting the same post/user, and the system checking if those 2 accounts may be the same person.
It's much easier to identify the second, with a lot more confidence that it's not a 'false positive'.

[quote]A lot of users have more than 2 haters.[/quote]

As long as you have more lovers than haters, you should be good. Whether on SW or in real life.
You are only focused on the negative, when we keep saying that there are other factors involved.

[quote]Punish me for criticizing you [admins][/quote]

I just advise you (and all other users) not to focus so much in the negativity side of everything...

Neither the admins nor the downvote have as the main aim to "punishing users", which seems to be what many users seem to be focusing on.

This comment is hidden. Show Comment

windinhishair · 61-69, M

@Nuno I think you are overlooking human nature on the downvote. People are far more likely to respond negatively than positively. Consider people who go to restaurants or purchase products. If you buy something and it is exactly as advertised, you are unlikely to go out of your way to take the time to respond positively, but when something goes wrong, you are FAR more likely to have negative comments about it. The product could be perfectly fine in most cases, but what you are going to see are more negative comments than positive. It is the same with SW. It is a mistake to assume that people will be equally judicious in their positive and negative comments. It won't happen, and people will be penalized for controversial opinions of all kinds.

The downvote feature is a grave mistake.

ArtieKat · M

@SapphicHeart Well said

SapphicHeart · F

Wonders who downvoted my comment for admin. Looking around the thread to see someone actively advocating for the downvote all over the place. Hmm. 🤔