

Ask HN: Does anyone else want to know who is downvoting you and why? - lotusleaf1987

I often wonder, who is it that is down-voting my comments and I would imagine it's probably mostly the same handful of people. I think anonymity contributes to this and encourages people to down-vote without any consequences. 
Sometimes I'll have a comment where for no reason it gets down-voted almost immediately only to be up-voted back to its baseline (1) later. I realize a lot of people here think down-voting is a way of showing disagreement, but how about the times you get down-voted for asking a question in a thread? It makes no sense! It stifles the conversation and does nothing to further the discussion. It may be taboo to bring this up but sheesh someone should. I really think we should be able to see who is down-voting us so those who down-voting without reason can at least be known.<p>An example: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1733897
Anyone care to explain?
======
lsc
Personally, I'd like other people to see when I upvote them (especially when I
am arguing with someone... it makes me look like a good sport, and it's an
easy way to say "I think you have an interesting point, even if I disagree
with you.")

As for seeing people who downvote me? really, who has the time to worry about
that sort of thing?

I mean, I can understand why both up and downvotes are kept anonymous, but I
see a much stronger argument for making upvotes visible than downvotes.

Really, I find it unusual that people are willing to admit that they care so
much about downvotes. I mean, yeah, I can understand the emotional "ouch" that
comes from someone downvoting you, I mean, even I feel it sometimes. But on a
logical level, getting upset about a downvote on a comment... a downvote that
has no effect on your other comments or submissions, as far as I can tell,
just seems childish.

I mean, it's like being insulted in a childish way in public, in a situation
where physical violence is not a possibility. So maybe it bothers you. but it
just seems childish and weak (well, to me...) to let the other person see that
you are upset. I mean, they are being childish, right? the adult thing to do
is to ignore it or laugh it off.

(and then, there's always the possibility that I'm being down voted 'cause I
really am being an idiot... I do that sometimes. But most down votes, I think,
are a childish attempt to enforce groupthink, and therefore best ignored.)

~~~
brudgers
> * I can understand why both up and downvotes are kept anonymous, but I see a
> much stronger argument for making upvotes visible than downvotes.*

I think the argument carries the same weight. Anonymity reduces quid pro quo
and encourages voting based on the merits of the post.

~~~
lsc
I would argue that quid pro quo in the positive direction is less bad than the
same in a negative direction. Especially on a system like HN where votes
mostly have emotional value (rather than "your comments never get seen if you
have a low carma" like slashdot) I think unreasonable up voting is less bad
than unreasonable down voting... unreasonable down voting tends to degrade
into unproductive name calling, etc...

Note, also, that I do understand the argument for keeping both anonymous, and
I'm not saying the current policy should be changed. I'm just saying that if
we were to change the current policy, I see some limited upside to making
upvotes non anonymous (even though I also see the downsides you point out.)
while I see no upside at all to making downvotes non anonymous.

~~~
brudgers
> _I would argue that quid pro quo in the positive direction is less bad than
> the same in a negative direction_

Less bad is still bad.

That's not an upside.

~~~
lsc
>That's not an upside.

right. The upside, from my first post in the thread:

"Personally, I'd like other people to see when I upvote them (especially when
I am arguing with someone... it makes me look like a good sport, and it's an
easy way to say "I think you have an interesting point, even if I disagree
with you.")"

Now, maybe that's not enough of an upside to counter the badness of reciprocal
voting, but it is still an upside.

~~~
brudgers
The rationale behind your 'upside' is that it potentially improves the voter's
social status.

If you perceive that the intent of upvotes and downvotes is something other
than improving the quality of posts (for example similar to Facebook's
"Like"), and if you are able to discount reciprocity then I can see where your
coming from.

~~~
lsc
>The rationale behind your 'upside' is that it potentially improves the
voter's social status.

That's my primary reason, yes. However, I also believe that if people can see
you upvote their posts even while you post a dissenting comment, you will see
better conversations for the reasons I outlined in my original post; you are
showing you respect the other person and his point, even though you may
disagree.

~~~
brudgers
By ignoring reciprocity in your original post, changing human behavior was
left as an exercise for the reader.

------
thehodge
I think more often than not I'd like to know why rather than who...

~~~
lotusleaf1987
I would like to know both. If it's the same person over and over again then
fine you basically have some person who decided they don't like you for
whatever reason. But what bugs me the most is when you get down-voted and no
one even replies to disagree, have some courage people.

See what I mean, apparently the first rule about down-voting is not to mention
down-voting. Get a life you cowards who can't even reply.

~~~
Semiapies
Lots of people down-vote those who whine about down-voting.

Personally, I have no idea why anyone downvoted the comment you linked above,
but that's why I down-voted this one and flagged this thread.

------
golgo13
I don't have a down vote button. Do you have to post a lot before the button
appears?

~~~
AjJi
It depends on your karma actually. I'm not sure how much you need to get it,
but I have it with my karma.

~~~
Mz
IIRC, it takes 200 karma to get a downvote button.

~~~
golgo13
Whoa. I have 3. Long way to go before I can be negative. :)

------
rick_2047
I personally think if someone has taken the time to write something more than
a few sentences long, its a matter of courtesy that you explain at least in
one sentence why you don't concur with them while you downvote them

