http://qs1969.pair.com?node_id=11144581


in reply to RFC: Policy regarding abuses of the voting system

I also have a problem with item 1.

I feel that if someone has earned the right to cast votes, they should be allowed to use those as they see fit.

I think PerlMonks works best when most votes are upvotes. If that's what you want to achieve, it's fine to state that and encourage it - for example using $vtavg not only to give the voter a risk of XP loss, but also to reduce the number of votes they can cast in the future (as was proposed in History now influences voting).

There is no need to attempt to infer malicious intent, and characterize a perceived pattern as abuse.

When I cast a vote, I want to be free to do so without having to worry whether I risk triggering an opaque pattern recognition system. I would rather not vote at all than risk jail for having voted in ways someone in retrospect decided was the wrong way.

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Re^2: RFC: Policy regarding abuses of the voting system
by jdporter (Paladin) on Jun 09, 2022 at 15:17 UTC

    It's not so much that we want to encourage upvoting specifically; voting on the substance of a node is always fine. Downvoting all of a user's nodes with prejudice is different.

    Don't worry about triggering an automated detector; there is no such thing. Every now and then, or upon request, we can run a query which finds recent voting patterns. That's all.

    Also, we would not take any action without first discussing it with the monk.

      In that case it sounds like no change in policy is needed in the first place.

      I do not believe you can divine motivation from behaviour, and I think it is really unwise to try.

      I do not believe you can force voters to make their choices based on the criteria you deem acceptable, and I think it is really unwise to try.

        This was meant to codify policy, not change it.

Re^2: RFC: Policy regarding abuses of the voting system
by Anonymous Monk on Jun 09, 2022 at 15:32 UTC
    if the majority here decides the systematic downvoting by sympathy is OK, this would consequently mean that systematic revenge downvoting is also acceptable.

    welcome in the world of vote wars ... :)

    Designing on a fair algorithm wouldn't be easy, it would involve measuring the deviation from mainstream voting.