Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count • Hacker News Board

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#461

Post by timdaub » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:02 AM UTC

onion2k wrote: post #460

retsibsi wrote: post #9

This seems rather user-hostile. The downvote count is useful for identifying videos that aren't what they claim to be. And how about DIY videos that give terrible advice? A big downvote ratio will get most people's attention in a way that critical comments may not.

The downvote count is useful for identifying videos that aren't what they claim to be. Down votes only tell you someone decided to give a negative reaction. They don't tell you anything about why they did that. Using them as proxy evidence for your assumptions is dubious, especially on videos with small numbers of votes. Often the reason why public dislike numbers are hidden is because people copy reactions - a visib…

Have my downvote sir.

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#462

Post by onion2k » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:04 AM UTC

timdaub wrote: post #461

onion2k wrote: post #460

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The downvote count is useful for identifying videos that aren't what they claim to be. Down votes only tell you someone decided to give a negative reaction. They don't tell you anything about why they did that. Using them as proxy evidence for your assumptions is dubious, especially on videos with small numbers of votes. Often the reason why public dislike numbers are hidden is because people copy reactions - a visib…

Have my downvote sir.

This proves my point. :)

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#463

Post by vharuck » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:20 AM UTC

panny wrote: post #370

anigbrowl wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The view count is much more telling. I don't agree. Many quality videos have low-no view counts because they are not promoted in any way or the persons making the video don't know how to do self-promotion. Downvotes are a signal about the percentage of people who watched something and disliked it, albeit an unreliable signal that can be gamed. If it were just about view counts, th rational thing would be to get rid o…

>Downvotes are a signal about the percentage of people who watched something and disliked it, albeit an unreliable signal that can be gamed. I guess I just don't believe this. There's no gaming required. Youtube can and does adjust that number at will. It's not indicative of anything to me, anymore than a positive product review on Amazon is indicative of anything to me. Follower counts mean nothing. Likes mean nothi…

>I mean, it wasn't even a week ago where the media is running video with Biden's hand passing through reporter's microphones as he answered questions. Almost everything online and in the media is faked now.

It was a large and fuzzy microphone down and to his right.

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N2LH199

Alternate angle video (Note how low the two fuzzy mics are): https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/biden-unveiled...

And I'm not pointing this out in an "Ackshually..." way. You're right about manipulation of truth in media. The problem is, even the people who think they understand that and see through it are being manipulated.

I've found the best way to spot propaganda around an incident is by asking, "What's the most boring explanation?" That's usually the truth.

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#464

Post by tootahe45 » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:25 AM UTC

cronix wrote: post #282

retsibsi wrote: post #9

This seems rather user-hostile. The downvote count is useful for identifying videos that aren't what they claim to be. And how about DIY videos that give terrible advice? A big downvote ratio will get most people's attention in a way that critical comments may not.

Look at the downvotes of this channel. Just pick any video since Jan. It's around 4:1 dislikes to likes. You can bet this is why they're doing it. https://www.youtube.com/c/WhiteHouse/videos

This is also prevalent on those very scripted SNL-type 'comedy' channels that always make it to the front page, or vaccine safety videos (YouTube keeps showing me these videos of black people taking/administering vaccines in a propagandized way because they think I'm an African-American antivaxxer?). What's strange is these channels will have millions of subs but very few views, always with about 6:1 downvote:upvote.

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#465

Post by notriddle » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:31 AM UTC

Ekaros wrote: post #130

I give 2 years before comments are entirely gone... It seems that all types of user-interaction is getting prohibited...

They might as well, since they already got rid of comments on “kids videos,” and the distinction between kid and adult videos is more than a little arbitrary.

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#466

Post by angry_octet » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:40 AM UTC

EricE wrote: post #66

Hammershaft wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think Youtube is removing dislikes because of white house vids that average out less than ~25000 views each?

Not just the white house. There's wholesale rejection that is embarrassing and counter to the messaging being pushed my the media and cultural elites. Disney with the Gina Corano firing has been a huge source of continued embarrassment. Widespread rejection of woke takeovers of popular culture in general are problematic so no, I'm not surprised downvotes are getting remove universally. Much easier to hide reality whe…

I think it's fair to say your take on politics is radically different to mine, and I don't think I'm very 'woke' as you put it. I certainly think Carano had to go, I don't need children idolizing someone who shares that kind of meme.

But -- is it a problem that you believe your viewpoint is widely supported, and I believe you are in the fringe minority, and vice versa? Should we be forced from our online/TV bubbles of choice? Obviously up/down votes are meaningless. Do we need regular referenda? Would online electronic voting work, or would everybody claim it was rigged?

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#467

Post by signal11 » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:44 AM UTC

retsibsi wrote: post #9

This seems rather user-hostile. The downvote count is useful for identifying videos that aren't what they claim to be. And how about DIY videos that give terrible advice? A big downvote ratio will get most people's attention in a way that critical comments may not.

Law of unintended consequences -- will we see more usage of the 'Report' button, now that there's no way to signal that "this video is BS"?

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#468

Post by tomcooks » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:45 AM UTC

pushrax wrote: post #422

youeseh wrote: post #407

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps they should let paying members see counts.

Surprisingly, that would be the tipping point that would get me to pay. Dislike ratio is very useful to avoid wasting time.

That's what YouTube wants eh

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#469

Post by 1billionstories » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 7:10 AM UTC

retsibsi wrote: post #9

This seems rather user-hostile. The downvote count is useful for identifying videos that aren't what they claim to be. And how about DIY videos that give terrible advice? A big downvote ratio will get most people's attention in a way that critical comments may not.

they don't care. this was done to prevent every official Joe Biden video getting 10x the number of dislikes as likes. go check any recent one

Re: Testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count

#470

Post by luckylion » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 7:20 AM UTC

qiqitori wrote: post #458

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Totally agree. I notice I find comment sections of sites that allow downvotes (e.g. HN, Reddit) much easier to navigate and filter than sites like Facebook and Twitter that only allow upvotes. Only allowing upvoting gives you similar dynamics to partisan primaries in the US - the most polarizing content filters to the top instead of sinking to the bottom.

HN doesn't really allow downvotes though. At least not unless you've reached a million karma points (from my understanding).

It does. I don't know what the threshold is, but it's not too high. I believe it's 500, but I might be wrong.