It would be interesting to have a downvote system where the downvote is added as a comment, giving the downvoter an opportunity to say why the post was downvoted. And also give anybody else an opportunity to downvote the downvote itself (with comment). In other words, downvoting a post might impact you if your downvote is downvoted.
The value of downvoting, or, how Hacker News gets it wrong (2009)
471–475 of 475 posts
Re: The value of downvoting, or, how Hacker News gets it wrong (2009)
#472Earlier quoted context omitted.
Dang. I've been on here years looking for a downvote capability. Apparently you need ~500 karma and I have 200. Any upvotes would be greatly appreciated.
You seem to have missed the point of the up vote requirement for downvotes though. It exists to restrict downvotes to those who are more active, and thus more "invested?". I believe that this was a very deliberately chosen barrier to entry here.
I definitely did not miss that point. I understand the idea behind a barrier to entry. However I am pretty active. I read HN every day, and I've even written a few submissions, one of which made the front page. So wouldn't you say I'm invested? I just don't comment very often.
Re: The value of downvoting, or, how Hacker News gets it wrong (2009)
#473Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd appreciate some examples. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but in my experience downvoted comments tend to have something beyond a counterpoint or difference of opinion; their content is usually irrelevant or unnecessarily snarky or somehow hostile.
I don't really have the time to go digging around for examples, but it's common enough that one of the site rules is to not complain about downvotes because it frequently happens for no reason.
The comment author may think there was no reason but almost every time I see a comment complaining about being downvoted, I see a reason among those I listed above.
Re: The value of downvoting, or, how Hacker News gets it wrong (2009)
#474Earlier quoted context omitted.
All their comments start dead. People call it shadow banning or hell banning. And some other accounts have [banned] after the name but keep commenting.
They just posted a new comment that isn't dead. I really doubt HN does that kind of stuff.
No, HN does that stuff.
Everything I post starts dead.
Re: The value of downvoting, or, how Hacker News gets it wrong (2009)
#475Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Daniel Gackle will ban your ass if you point out, for example, that he tolerates and even welcomes extremely bigoted shit. Citation needed - this claim is very far from my own experience. If you think you'll be banned, then email me with your evidence and I'll look at it.
He usually bans people for using mean words. If you express some completely heinous ideas in polite, mostly grammatical writing then normally you will not be banned. This is based on my experience of over a decade of various accounts and occasional banning on "Hacker" News.
I’d absolutely agree with this.
He moderates in a way that is intended to create comfort for an in-group. It’s a “safe space” for a specific type of person.