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I've wondered about creating an extension for HN and Reddit to get around what I see as a problem in the voting system. Nominally, downvotes aren't for disagre

I've wondered about creating an extension for HN and Reddit to get around what I see as a problem in the voting system. Nominally, downvotes aren't for disagreeing, they're for posts that don't add to the discussion. Upvotes aren't a perfect reflection: a comment with a high score or prominence implies consensus. Sometimes I'll see comments where I think it has been unfairly downvoted - maybe greyed out for posting an unpopular opinion - but I don't think the comment deserves my co-signing or approval. I can upvote it, but then the negative votes may later turn out to be an anomaly and be cancelled-out by upvotes or by having the negative votes de-fuzzed. Then the comment is visible again but has my +1 and might be obscuring a reply that I thought did deserve an upvote. My extension would be a third button on greyed-out comments. Maybe 'resurrect'. It will work as an upvote until the comment is allowed to be part of the discussion again, then it removes it. With Reddit I'd just add it to the firehose but HN's lower traffic and greater risk of astroturfing means I'd seek dang approval first.

saagarjha 4y ago
This is kind of what the "vouch" button is for?
Kbelicius 4y ago
> Nominally, downvotes aren't for disagreeing, they're for posts that don't add to the discussion. On HN one should downvote for disagreeing. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16131314 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16131314
- jrootabega 4y ago
  That is incompatible with the practice of making it hard, or even impossible, to see comments which have been downvoted too much. I am guessing it also was not taking into account the type and volume of use/abuse that it sees today.
jrootabega 4y ago
This problem will never be solved if it hasn't by now. Downvoting as disagreement, or to punish unpopular ideas, is rampant. And downvoting is not just a way of EXPRESSING disagreement, it's a way to suppress those you disagree with by hiding their comments. And, as pointed out here and elsewhere in this submission, the vouching mechanism that WAS meant to solve it will be silently disabled for your account if you use it to offset too many posts which are TOO unpopular or disagreed-with.

saagarjha 4y ago

This is kind of what the "vouch" button is for?

Kbelicius 4y ago

> Nominally, downvotes aren't for disagreeing, they're for posts that don't add to the discussion. On HN one should downvote for disagreeing. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16131314 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16131314

jrootabega 4y ago
That is incompatible with the practice of making it hard, or even impossible, to see comments which have been downvoted too much. I am guessing it also was not taking into account the type and volume of use/abuse that it sees today.

jrootabega 4y ago

This problem will never be solved if it hasn't by now. Downvoting as disagreement, or to punish unpopular ideas, is rampant. And downvoting is not just a way of EXPRESSING disagreement, it's a way to suppress those you disagree with by hiding their comments. And, as pointed out here and elsewhere in this submission, the vouching mechanism that WAS meant to solve it will be silently disabled for your account if you use it to offset too many posts which are TOO unpopular or disagreed-with.