Introducing "like and dislike" to the forum

[The Cryptovator]

This has been on my mind for some time now, I really think it's a good idea, the "like and dislike" won't really count for anything its just a kind of check as to how reasonable people find your opinions.

Almost ten years ago someone created this thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1866078.0

Before creating a new thread that possibly already created, you may use the forum search button. So it will not necessarily create another; rather, you may contribute to the existing thread, and that will help reduce spam on the forum. So that idea hasn’t only come to your mind the first time.

For me, I don’t really want to consider that forum as a social media app. The forum was created to discuss Bitcoin and related things, although we have a lot of sections here now. It doesn’t matter if you like or dislike the post, it will not change the fact. The merit system is working fine, and we may think about how the merit system would improve and increase the circulation. The like and dislike button doesn’t make sense to me at all. It will look more spammy to me.

[[btc]]

I've personally always preffered giving a post on the internet emoji reactions, over boring like/dislike buttons. There's a whole catalog of emojis that exist which convey and endless amount of emotion, signal, and opinion on what's being reacted to - isn't that what a like/dislike is, anyway? It's just a reaction.

I feel like some people use +merit on posts they "like"/"agree" with, but don't have any other substance to add to a post they appreciate, outside of the fact they "like" it, without fully weighing quality - I've definitely done it. If we had reactions, perhaps merit would be saved like bullets in the chamber, properly used to really signal quality. Reactions could supplement that "hey this is how I feel" itch, without much effort in terms of writing out a whole post - especially if someone doesn't feel like typing it, but wants to engage somehow.

Would look something like this:
...Loading AI slop image...





Emoji reactions have their own laundry list of problems, however - especially when trying to combine them with a place such as this here forum. I think the current sentiment might closely resemble something like this:

I'm 99.9999% certain this will never be a forum feature. However, you could use ShadowPulse? Seems to be more or less what you want: Click +Pulse on any post you like.
I mean, it is no emojis, but it is something?

Just to be clear, this is not an endorsement. Use at your own risk.

R.I.P. Shadowpulse

I think need an adult to read this, sorry.

[SquirrelJulietGarden]

I've personally always preffered giving a post on the internet emoji reactions, over boring like/dislike buttons. There's a whole catalog of emojis that exist which convey and endless amount of emotion, signal, and opinion on what's being reacted to - isn't that what a like/dislike is, anyway? It's just a reaction.

I can distract users, who make the post and who reply to it.

For serious discussions, pure discussions in text will be better but it can be argued here because in this forum, there are many spam posts. I can not deny this fact, spam is still a big problem in this forum but it does not change a forum moderation on keeping it for as best exchange of ideas as possible.

A welcome message.

[Doan9269]

I really think it's a good idea, the "like and dislike" won't really count for anything its just a kind of check as to how reasonable people find your opinions.

This will undermine the relevance of the merit system, it will also give room to spammers to thrive through the forum and progress to rank up when they do less to get enough like on their post than when they have to work hard to earn for merit.

I also don't see any reason why we should have something different than what the merit system has set in place, this forum must not necessarily operate the same way other platforms do, the merit system is one of the key ways it got well moderated.

[SeriouslyGiveaway]

I really think it's a good idea, the "like and dislike" won't really count for anything its just a kind of check as to how reasonable people find your opinions.

This will undermine the relevance of the merit system, it will also give room to spammers to thrive through the forum and progress to rank up when they do less to get enough like on their post than when they have to work hard to earn for merit.

I also don't see any reason why we should have something different than what the merit system has set in place, this forum must not necessarily operate the same way other platforms do, the merit system is one of the key ways it got well moderated.

Like and dislike can be compared with merit and demerit but demerit is only in idea mode, and theymos has yet created demerit for the forum software. Without demerit, spammers already are able to rank up with spam posts and merits from their friends.

Without demerit, you can not prevent spammers ranking up when merit has become more easily accepted or ignored when they were sent to spam posts or posts that liked by the others.

There is currently no such thing as a "demerit". I'm hoping that the positive merits alone will be fine. I could add demerits pretty easily later on if necessary, though.

I'm hoping that this system will increase post quality by:
 - Forcing people to post high-quality stuff in order to rank up. If you just post garbage, you will never get even 1 merit point, and you will therefore never be able to put links in your signature, etc.
 - Highlighting good posts with the "Merited by" line.

[Comeacross]

Can I start by not liking your idea?

Of course, you can   and you just did, by the way.

Really nothing good can come of this idea, implementing it would not help the forum at all. Go play on Facebook if you are looking to like something.

Even Facebook has no dislike button  

Perhaps, some people think it's okay for Forum to imitate other social media forgetting that the purpose is not the same. If every idea presented here should be implemented, this forum will look complicated.

[DYING_S0UL]

Emoji reactions have their own laundry list of problems, however - especially when trying to combine them with a place such as this here forum. I think the current sentiment might closely resemble something like this:

Imho, merit is more than enough fullfil all the needs! It acts as the like button. As for dislike it isn't necessary! Many times we can just guess whether a topic is liked or not. For instance look at OP, this is probably the most disliked topic created by him, you can literally see it through others comments. People are forgetting this is a forum, not some social media sites like facebook or twitter, so we shouldn't demand/request things related to them.

As the proverb goes, "If it ain't broken, don't touch it".

[Ambatman]

When I saw your post title I thought you might have written a script to enforce it
Since that's what's common on meta now.
Not surprising that I didn't come across any that really approves of it.
Adding to what was said before it would lead to a worse abuse and war than what we facing.
We should be reducing the problem the forum facing not creating new one.
You can tell a person agrees or not to a post from their response.

[macson]

Since the majority of people don't like what you're propose, it already shows you that most people here are really fed up with that social media feature. Wouldn't it be better to just make it simpler? The 'merit' is already enough to show appreciation or liking for a post. If you don't like a post, you can just skip it or "ignore" that user. It's that simple, no need to add a feature that's actually unnecessary.

[Mia Chloe]

This has been on my mind for some time now, I really think it's a good idea, the "like and dislike" won't really count for anything its just a kind of check as to how reasonable people find your opinions.

Lol this is not the first proposal for something like this and related to this. The whole idea seems to be coming from this social media vibes and atmosphere most people are actually used to. Anyways we don't need a like button since the merit system already handles that.

If you don't like a post you can either choose to ignore it or go ahead making a reply to criticise it. Similarly if you like a post simply commend and merit according to your own assessment.

[PrivacyG]

We already have something of that nature in this forum, if you see a post that you like, to show that you like that post you merit the post.

I do not really like the idea of considering Merits a 'Like' button.  If that is it then there should also be a 'deMerit' button, and the Merit system should work in the same way voting works on Reddit.  Other wise, if Merits are equal to the 'Like' button, it would be as stupid as YouTube.

Merits should be sent for quality contributions.  Not for agreeing with some body.  Should..

[yahoo62278]

Can I start by not liking your idea?

Of course, you can   and you just did, by the way.

Really nothing good can come of this idea, implementing it would not help the forum at all. Go play on Facebook if you are looking to like something.

Even Facebook has no dislike button  

Perhaps, some people think it's okay for Forum to imitate other social media forgetting that the purpose is not the same. If every idea presented here should be implemented, this forum will look complicated.

They don't, just a like emoji and a few others. Maybe I should have said mess around with the other social medias as they all offer something different. We would just see manipulated likes/dislikes and start a whole new issue for the forum folks to deal with. Keep it simple IMO.

[nullius]

👎

For all its flaws, one of the good things about this forum is that theymos values (a) freedom expression, and (b) quality discussion.  Likes and dislikes would transform the discourse into a cheap popularity contest more than it already is, and would open posts expressing unpopular opinions (and worse, personally unpopular authors) to brigading with dislikes by haters who don’t want to engage with the substance.

This has been on my mind for some time now, I really think it's a good idea, the "like and dislike" won't really count for anything its just a kind of check as to how reasonable people find your opinions.

If it “won’t really count for anything”, why have it at all?  But of course, it would indeed count for something:  It would warp the discourse, and encourage groupthink.

People can already express how reasonable they find your opinions, by writing replies that do not violate Forum Rule #1 (“no zero or low value, pointless or uninteresting posts”).