Ask Lemmy

I downvote anything that I deem worsens the quality of the community. This includes, but is not limited to:

• misinformation

• trolls

• bad faith engagement

• uncalled for hostility and incivility

• very lazy, low effort posts/comments

Misinformation, bad attitudes, clichéd jokes

It's a disagree button. That's how it's used in practice, and we're better off just accepting that.

Is incorrect or does not contribute to the topic of the thread

misinformation and acting in bad faith, both of which have a funny habit of occuring at the same time

"This is so ignorant replying would be a waste of time."

For content that lowers the quality of the fediverse. Misinformation, reposts, bad faith actors, etc.

I mostly downvote bad faith, hostile or just generally angry/mean comments independent of whether I agree with them or not. Basically I'm using it against the people that are polluting the air here.

Bad faith arguments or inflammatory nonsense. We can disagree and I'll upvote if you're actually speaking in good faith.

Pretty much any form of, "Whataboutism" gets downvoted. No one was talking about C, why are you acting indignant about C when people were discussing A and B, you know?

Bad faith, low effort, hostility.

Unhelpful / unconstructive

misinformation, slurs, incivility, off-topic content, and video links without text summaries

"I don't like this" button.
Which is often something I disagree with

It's not a "disagree" button, but it is a "you're wrong" button. They could be wrong by trolling, spreading misinformation, spamming, being disingenuous, refusing to understand the topic or engage in good faith... None of those contribute to the conversation.

Disagree with prejudice.

"This does not contribute" button.

On a related topic, one thing I learned from the old Century Club days on reddit is the Courtesy Upvote.

If a thread is interesting enough that you commented, upvote it, upvote all the other comments.

If someone replies to you or one of your posts, upvote them too.

Whatever I want.

I have no obligation to downvote consistently.

I do what I want!

I try to use it like the original Reddit vision, which was that up and downvotes are for comments that I think add to the conversation. I'll upvote a comment that I disagree with if it's well thought out and well articulated (then I'll say why I disagree).

The exception is when it's a thread looking for factual information. If someone asks for objective information, I'll downvote wrong answers.

Like/Dislike.

"Disagree"/"its bad"/"eww"

Yeah. I really hate it when someone has what I would call a "bad take" and then I try and engage in conversation with them and they get downvoted to hell. Like sorry friend, I swear it wasn't me, I'm just trying to have a conversation too ☹️

All of these comments are like "down votes aren't dislikes, heres how i use them: list of things they dislike"

Racism and homo/transphobia, which are often disguised as (mis)information. I don't usually downvote people unless they're being outright hateful though and then sometimes I block them too.

Also downvote & report spam, which is actually pretty rare on lemmy.

I'd guess that most of my downvotes are where one person is engaging in personal attacks on someone else.

I disagree, so I downvoted you. Guess that's my answer.

Disagree

As the electronic version of [look of disapproval], the same way the upvote means [nodding while thinking yes yes]

Misinformation, propaganda, stuff like that. We can disagree and I'll not downvote you. But if you're outright spewing lies, whether you realize it or not, I'll downvote.

"This"

Not your post, but anything that's just an upvote in the form of a comment.

Also anything that's egregious misinformation or bad faith posting.

Or anything that's just spammy or bonkers crazy. I've blocked more people in my 1-ish year on Lemmy than I had in something like 10 years on Reddit...it definitely feels like Lemmy is the haven for Reddit refugees, including those who got banned for not really understanding how to engage in this type of space.

Also, any post that really doesn't fit the community. Like NoStupidQuestions posts that aren't questions or are really just AITA or DAE (social validation) posts in disguise.

I know that sounds like a lot, but for the most part, I don't vote on things. I upvote most posts that are cool/interesting enough to get me to go to the source or read through the comments, as well as any good comments. And pretty much any comment that engages in discussion with my own comments without being annoying or rude, lol

Disagree.

I don't have a downvote button but if I did I'd use it on misinformation. Things that are factually incorrect or unsubstantiated.

For any blatantly wrong/nonsensical BORING comment that remains hostile and argumentative (cause if I'm entertained I can just continue posting, lol, I'm as much of a yapper online as I am IRL!). If I find your posts nonsensical but you're chill, I'll exit the conversation politely, often thanking you for your time.

For me it's "this comment shouldn't exist" button. Sometimes it's because it makes the experience of reading worse, regardless of the content of the comment. Sometimes it's because the content is so bad.
But i don't just downvote something if I just disagree with it, it should be bad

To order a delicious sorbet.

Trolls & bots - then block the user - my feed is remarkably clean

but sometimes just to disagree…

Silly OP, I don't even have a downvote button (idk if it's the instance I'm in but I don't particularly mind ngl)

I like to reserve it for special occasions. Comments that are very confidently wrong, needlessly edgy or rhethorically loaded. Anything that I don't want to dignify with a verbal response but where I still want to express my aversion. The exception are "funny downvotes" like mass downvoting the fourth person in a chain or stuff like that.

Hide post button

the instance i use doesn't have one