RED Negative Flags, a possibility? Open to other ideas.

Hello, first thank you for your time.

I am curious is there is a way to voice displeasure with someones post, without replying and entering in, what will surely be a war of words.


It is often a negative road that the OP goes down, using arguments that they and ONLY they feel is correct. Let me be clear I am not talking about giving red flags to those you disagree with.

Would it be possible to have something like "red flags" so that those who disagree can do so by giving a red flag, which would serve two purposes, lack of all out battles in many cases, and also so that others can easily read some of the silly statements, and simply RED flag it, and move on. Red flags would alert others as well.

Additionally red stars could be used.

Red flags would negate the users blue flags earned. Red flags would be recorded and perhaps placed in the users profile.

I would not take away from discussion at all.

Thank you for listening!

TA

This sounds like a horrible idea to me. regardless of how it is intended to be used it will just foster bad relations here.

I can't see a system where people would be hesitant to post because of fears of negativity. We have enough of that here already. If you disagree, state why, if you don't wanna partake in a thread just move on. I

Is it really that big of a deal? Red stars seems harsh.

reply to post by TheArchaeologist


I think this is a great idea and I hope it is implemented. I think flags/stars are totally misleading because it does not take into consideration whether the majority of people who read a post actually liked the content.

First someone has to come along and write a post that opposes the original poster and then people can star that post in agreement, but this may not even happen until 2 or more pages in the thread and then people keep replying to say they disagree with the same comments over and over again. It is a very inefficient and a huge time waster that is not reader friendly.

Definitely, don't think it's harsh. When I see 50 stars on horrible content it makes me think the site is full of morons and usually reduces my interest in wanting to read anything else.

Originally posted by Seiko
This sounds like a horrible idea to me. regardless of how it is intended to be used it will just foster bad relations here.

I can't see a system where people would be hesitant to post because of fears of negativity. We have enough of that here already. If you disagree, state why, if you don't wanna partake in a thread just move on. I

Actually it is no different, and in fact less invasive as arguing back and forth and back and forth for pages and pages.

It's not meant to be a scarlet A, it is meant to act as the flag system but for posts that are wildly out of control.

Maybe even give users 10 red stars total, so that they have to think before using them.

IMO people over look the star system in favor of the flag system. An article might have plenty of flags for being interesting or breaking news, or even a hoax, but the replies are what are important. Stars distinguish good conversations/information produced by good topics.

A focus on the negative would draw away from the community's intentions and serves only to divide us further. A focus on the positive and "interesting" topics as deemed by the membership through flags & stars is far more interesting.

~Keeper

The problem I have noticed with the flag and star system is that many times, not all, but many, if there are dissenters to the OP or those supporting them the person or persons who disagree get run out on a rail.

I have seen comments that are terribly wrong, not just my opinion, but actual facts. Such as, as an example,

The Bill of Rights was written in and attempt to allow Willy Wonka to take over the world in 2016.

There is also a lot of racism here, anti jew, anti zionists, and loads of ANTI AMERICAN. American is not perfect, but it is the topic dujour of those who have an agenda. And most can tell agenda from just "asking questions innocently"

To give users a limited number of stars to use in extreme situations would be a way of alerting, "wait, people should look at this further", without getting into a 4 page bash fest

I would no provide any more decension that threats bashing each other. It would also allow those who do not have loads of friends here, or a lot of high post protectors or moderators, who rightly or wrongly tend to overlook the newer person and defend their friends.

reply to post by TheArchaeologist


I actually like the idea of a negative star/flag..

Others argue that simply NOT staring or flagging is the same thing but I disagree..

It's sort of like asking a question where the only choice to answer is "YES" or nothing....
Sometimes you need the "NO" vote or how can you truly access the peoples opinion?

Originally posted by backinblack
reply to post by TheArchaeologist

 

Sometimes you need the "NO" vote or how can you truly access the peoples opinion?

By reading the thread.

~Keeper

Yes.

sorry for the one line response.

reply to post by TheArchaeologist


I consider this vastly different. If you really think the poster is in such an error that it requires a red flag I would think a counter argument would be a far superior approach. If you just red flag and show a negative point without explaining you've done nothing to really help anyone. If you don't think the poster would be helped by a counter argument then you should just move on.

On another point, facts are not always the same as truth. You can't really fault someone for believing things you do not. It might be wholly obvious to you and yet not to another.

Deny ignorance through education. A simple red flag of negative feedback does not do this.

reply to post by TheArchaeologist


horrible idea

If you don't like or agree with an OP, the worst you can do to them is not reply to the thread.

Damn it, I didn't follow my own advice.

reply to post by tothetenthpower

By reading the thread.

Not always mate..
Some are just so bad you'd like to just post a negative flag and move along..
Some you post in and are set upon by multiple members so you can't be bothered..

Nothings perfect but ATS does a good job...

reply to post by backinblack


alot of times a whole thread will be endless pages of people saying the same thing over and over and over again

"this guys a troll"

"what a troll"

"this thread is BS"

really, i've seen for pages of pages of pages on threads

well if a thread or conspiracy is found to be a hoax it is moved to hoax forum. but the fact that ATS shows little mercy on maturity for handling itself thus far without a neg star system leaves me to beleive that a neg star system would be HIGHLY abused and create mass chaos at ATS

as another member said the best way to keep up with things at ATS is to read and or be a part of the discussions itself

reply to post by backinblack


Why bother being able to negatively rate something you haven't read? I will agree that some OP's aren't worth reading, however the subsequent discussion sometimes is.

Besides you could manipulate the system with forum gangs running around negative flagging opinion pieces they disagreed with. I would welcome changes to the system, but not those that allow use to effectively create a section of the website that is essentially useless.

~Keeper

Originally posted by Cryptonomicon
If you don't like or agree with an OP, the worst you can do to them is not reply to the thread.

Damn it, I didn't follow my own advice.

This is the kind of flippant kind of comment I am talking about. It really turns new users off.

This board is for enlightenment, but let's say I am a palentologist, and someone is showing bones claiming they are from an a get undiscovered dinosaur and went on about how it would rewrite history. I, because of my training, can tell that is the legbone of oh say, brachiosaurus.

However since I am new here, or because I am not allowed to question anyones dreams or ideals, I am not to say anything? It seems counterintuitive to the learning and exploring aspect that draws us here.

I often find myself not posting because I do not want to get banned. I dont say anything bad, but often I see posts removed,that actually made sense.
It was not lost on me that the very site that is open to discussion is the only one on the web that I actually worry my words will be deleted or I will be banned,. It feels gastapo to me.

Please do not take this the wrong way, I enjoy the site, and have invited others, I am trying to explain some of what I feel can happen,

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by backinblack

 

Why bother being able to negatively rate something you haven't read? I will agree that some OP's aren't worth reading, however the subsequent discussion sometimes is.

Besides you could manipulate the system with forum gangs running around negative flagging opinion pieces they disagreed with. I would welcome changes to the system, but not those that allow use to effectively create a section of the website that is essentially useless.

~Keeper

I am not asking that the threads be rated at the top. On the contrary, I am advocating red stars be available ( in limited supply so that they cannot be abused and will think before using) in order to start a post within a thread, as a kind of " hey, what is this post about, maybe it's time to get back on topic, etc

reply to post by TheArchaeologist


can you imagine if the members coming here to this thread and giving you legitimate responses and reasons for not desiring a red star system, instead of doing that just came and gave you a red star with no explanation at all?

is that the ATS you want? not me, member since 2006.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by backinblack

 

Why bother being able to negatively rate something you haven't read? I will agree that some OP's aren't worth reading, however the subsequent discussion sometimes is.

Besides you could manipulate the system with forum gangs running around negative flagging opinion pieces they disagreed with. I would welcome changes to the system, but not those that allow use to effectively create a section of the website that is essentially useless.

~Keeper

You miss my meaning, I am not saying that the threads would be marked as to keep people from reading them. On the contrary the stars would only be used within in a thread.

I do not believe you could manipulate the system at all. In fact the system seems manipulated by the older school membersm who add star after star and call in their friends to back them up against someone they disagree with. This happens quite a lot.