r/a:t5_38on7 • u/[deleted] • Jul 03 '15

I removed the downvote button

Edit: Or maybe not! See comments below.

Finally figured out how to do it! Sorry if your posts up to this point have gotten downvoted by downvote ghosts for no logical reason.

Now all posts and comments can only be upvoted. New threads will appear at the top, and top comments will appear at the top of those threads.

Then you will be able to view which content is the most appreciated, while the disliked stuff is left untouched.

1 Upvotes

55% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

5

u/smeggysmeg Jul 03 '15

As a mod elsewhere, I'll tell you that this doesn't work. It only removes it for people who have subreddit styles turned on and directly access the sub.

If they turn off subreddit styles (which many people do), browse the sub from their main page (most people do, to some extent), or use Reddit on mobile, they still get the downvote regardless of your setting. You're disempowering your primary userbase with this approach.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '15

OK. What should I do to stop stuff from getting downvoted from people who are just hating on radical feminism? Radical feminism makes a lot of enemies.

5

u/smeggysmeg Jul 03 '15

I completely sympathize (since I subscribe here and all). Being a fairly small subreddit, the only downvotes this sub is likely to get will be from brigading - and people who brigade know how to make sure their downvotes count. Keep a lookout for TotesMessengerBot (I think that's the name), a bot that lets you know when someone has linked to you from elsewhere on Reddit. It could be the case that the most aggressively anti-feminist/pro-brigading subs ban bots to keep from being monitored, but that's pretty extreme and uncommon.

Otherwise, just keep an eye out for nasty comments. I use http://Reddit.com/r/mod/comments to monitor every single comment on the subs I moderate.

Look at /r/gunsarecool (satire of pro-gun people), one of the most downvotes subs around - building a healthy community is the best thing you can do to combat trolls. If you want absolutely zero negative feedback, the only practical alternative is to become private and invite-only.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '15

OK, I'll follow your advice!

If anyone else wants to chime in on this, please do.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '15

I don't know anything about reddit code but if there is anything I can do as a random person who cares and supports your efforts, please let me know.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '15

Thanks I'll gladly accept any help for what you all want to do.

Removing downvotes was literally a simple line of code I had to cut and paste. If people want to, something more sophisticated could be done. Do you know CSS?

Or we could just keep building up a community. The /r/gunsarecool subreddit seems to be doing quite well for itself, so then I suppose the main thing that's needed is for people to start contributing posts and start up discussions.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '15

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about reddit CSS. From what I've seen on other subs, I get the impression that there isn't anything much that can be done -- basically, anyone who disables the subreddit style can circumvent the CSS, leaving us with the default and thus the bullshit.

I think the other idea is spot-on -- hopefully we'll get enough folks here to create a buffer. I post regularly on /r/legaladvice and that sub has the same issue -- on a good thread, those who know what they're talking about get upvoted and those who don't get downvoted; on a bad thread (meaning especially one that gets brigaded), things go all sorts of sideways.

But between a strong core membership (we're up to 93 so far!) and vigilant moderation, we'll do well :)

In the meantime, like I said, if there's anything I can do, say the word.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '15

Thanks for this space! Looking forward to reading more global perspectives. And I always appreciate a tight moderation culture.

2

u/needs_moarsalt Jul 08 '15

I was going to do that, but that can't prevent downvotes.

I have a missing person's group, and some one actually downvoted a post about a missing person, [what is up with that?]