PPPS: Here is a totally clarified title: An option to automatically block downvoters with configurable granularity for the scope of the block. See text for detail.
PS: By definition this was always going to attract downvotes, so I'll pay no attention to that. I just want to be clear about one thing: this proposed feature would (obviously) be read-only and opt-in. It is just a development of the existing block feature. It would affect nobody except those who choose to use it.
PPS: I was originally going to submit it to Lemmy issue tracker but I prefer not to use Microsoft Github so for now I'm putting it here instead.
This is a general proposal that concerns Lemmy specifically, but also other forum-alike software that uses ActivityPub, such as Piefed.
For me, the original sin of social media is downvoting (rant incoming). Specifically, its rampant misuse as a "Me no like!!" button. Apart from conveying totally uninteresting information (i.e. a subjective binary opinion), downvoting encourages schoolyard social dynamics and discourages heterodox views (and therefore debate). The nearest in-person equivalent (saying "shut up") is universally considered rude. At scale, the effect of downvoting is to brutalize a community that might otherwise be pleasant and welcoming. I believe this practice is almost always toxic and poisonous. Those who defend it (in good faith, I do not doubt) need to consider the possibility that it has helped to homogenize their communities into people like them (to caricature: insensitive males). Most ordinary people do not participate actively in social media. There's a reason for that.
No, this is not a popular position here (cf. selection bias) and so it will of course be... downvoted. But it's how I see it. I like to think that I've added some value to the fediverse with my contributions, but if there's one thing that regularly causes me to consider leaving, it's this. Going to Beehiv or Blahaj-whatsit is not a solution, because the communities I'm interested in are not there. Hiding downvote scores does not work because... it does not hide the downvoters.
Which gave me an idea. Given that the identity of downvoters is technically public, I propose a new setting: "Auto-block downvoters". That's it. Automatically hide comments (or posts, or anything) by users who have downvoted your contributions. Logical, no? They don't care for what I have to say, and I don't care for their inane negativity. It's win-win! Lots of possible variants:
- Hide [ subsequent | all ] comments by users who have downvoted [ a post | a comment | anything ] by you [ in this thread | on this post | in this community | everywhere]
- Hide [etc] by users with an upvote-downvote ratio lower than [ X ]% etc
Such a setting (especially #1) would immeasurably improve my experience of Lemmy. No exaggeration. I like to think it might also serve as a subtle incentive for users to be more generous and tolerant in their behavior towards others, but that is secondary.
You may want to edit your post body to include information you clarify later in comments, namely:
You don't want to block users permanently, which is why the current block feature is unsuitable.
You don't want to block users universally, that is, if someone downvotes you in one thread you still want to see their content in others.
You only want to stop seeing comment replies in a single thread (or subthread?) from users who have previously downvoted you in that thread.
Do I have that right? That wouldn't be so bad, I think, though beats me how you'd implement it.
I too get irritated when users misuse the vote buttons, but to my mind the ranked-thread system doesn't work without them. And in the end, they're just numbers: No amount of votes has every made me delete an unpopular comment, either of my own or as a moderator.
Yep, you have it exactly right, thank you for reading more than the title. I've added a clarification to the top of the post.
IMO it would work just fine without the down button. In other words we get a button to clap but not to jeer.
Sure, but then you are likely more thick-skinned than the average, being a moderator on social media. I don't think I'm hypersensitive. After all, I guessed this would be taken down in flames but I posted it anyway. In person I'm fairly combative (though always respectful). I don't think either of us is average, same for most others here. The average (see corporate social media) is to be much more sensitive to criticism, to delete if people push back, to delete if nobody upvotes, to shut up except when we know the herd will agree with us, basically to behave like the social animals we are. I'm convinced this is what most people here don't fully grasp. For me the downvote button is like nitroglycerine for our worst herd-behavior instincts. Upvoting will be technically abused but it's a pragmatic necessity, as you say. Downvoting serves no purpose except to spread bad vibes exactly where they're least needed.
Lemmings like you are what the block feature (as it exists) is perfect for - I'll never have to read your tripe again! Winning.
This kind of comment just confirms the whole premise of my idea.