To think Mumsnet would be better with likes/upvotes

[EricTheHorse]

Sites like Reddit have the ability for users to up or downvote posts and replies to posts. An overwhelming number of downvotes leads to posts/replies becoming “hidden” and so a democratic vote basically decides which posts and replies can be seen rather than requiring moderators to step in and babysit.

Is this something that would work well on Mumsnet?

YABU- Mumsnet works fine as it is TYVM
YANBU- This feature should be added

Ha ha can't tell you, I'll get deleted. But with your subjects of interest i doubt you will like it...likes or not .

@giantangryrooster

Yes, chasing likes is crass. I agree. I quite like the upvote/downvote feature on Reddit as I can see at a glance what the general consensus is on a given subject. It is one of many features that make the site more user friendly in my opinion.

Facebook is a pain as you only have the option to “like” and sometimes it’s nice to show your dissent. Of course commenting is king. But the upvote/ downvote feature on other sites doesn’t stifle conversation.

It’s interesting to see what people think. I wonder if anyone has other ideas about what could improve Mumsnet.

The ability to change usernames is fab. So often people name-change for anonymity purposes and I think this is a great feature. I don’t know if any other site that allows users to do this easily.

Surely a like is better than:

enormous

quote

that

goes

on

for-

ever

...

^this

Or threads that have

I agree with
over and over again for pages.

No

I hate Reddit and all similar sites. I don't want everywhere to be the same. If you like Reddit, use Reddit. There are forums for everything. I don't so leave me one place a like. Please.

@ilovesooty

I don’t think it's a case of one over the other. There are millions of posts on Reddit etc daily. Likes and dislikes don’t stifle the conversation at all.

I think maybe you’re just used to Reddit and struggle with change.

Nested replies are just awful and this is a discussion site, not a popularity contest. There is no reason for folks to like or not someone’s posts, you use your words to respond. Discussions are not hard to follow. As you yourself are demonstrating on your own thread.

None of these “improvements” which are basically mimicking other sites for me would be a positive, they would be detrimental.

It is one of many features that make the site more user friendly in my opinion.

It doesn't make it user friendly at all. I've seen the cliques pile in to downvote a post. Given the accusations of cliques on MN, it would be awful.

@giantangryrooster

Now I’m interested !

@MrsTerryPratchett

I haven’t the slightest interest in making every site the same.

I wonder if anyone has other ideas about what could improve Mumsnet.

Unless you are an undercover mnhq agent, you must be new. I think users have asked for an 'edit you own post for 15-30 seconds' for years 🤣. Apparently it is much to hard to make this site any different.

BUT if you buy the premium version perhaps you get all you wish for? 🤣

Maybe the format could stay the same, posts arranged by time posted, but there is just a 👍 button there too. I don’t use reddit but I often look at the avclub which is a nice format (but heavily moderated)

No, I don't think a Likes button would improve MN, for all the reasons pps have given above ... and because this is an adult site, and Likes buttons are childish.

@Rhine Agree, this drives me mad. I do understand that it enforces a sort of honesty - people can't change their comments so that replies to that comment don't make sense - so perhaps an alternative would be an "add" feature, where if you realise you left a crucial detail out or had a typo that interfered with understanding you could add something to the bottom of an existing post/comment to clarify, and each addition would be clearly marked as such.

Bad idea I'm afraid.

Almost as bad as the YABU/YANBU function which is constantly misused as either a poll or for an OP to dictate how people should vote.

@Bluntness100

Perhaps. I do agree with PP who said a like is better than a huge wall copied and pasted followed by “^this” or “agreed”

It would be nice to have ways to credit a post in some manner to show approval as well as also holding a conversation/discussion. To me it’s like the online equivalent of the back channeling we use during spoken conversations. Nodding, smiling, “uh-huh-ing” to show we’re following and agreeing. It adds to an overall feel of the responses to a post.

@giantangryrooster

I’m a very long time lurker. I enjoy Mumsnet a lot but don’t find it very user friendly in terms of design.

It’s such so great site, I just feel a few changes could make it better and wondered what people thought of one such idea.

@AranciaRosso

Yes the YABU/YANBU is confusing. Some threads descend into chaos when the voting is as clear as mud.

These threads crop up annually. The idea is always rejected.

Yes, chasing likes is crass. I agree. I quite like the upvote/downvote feature on Reddit as I can see at a glance what the general consensus is on a given subject

The answer is obvious really OP....

I no like the like / no like. Up or down votes won't make the site 'more user friendly'. MN isn't and shouldn't be a popularity contest. Getting up or down votes might actively discourage some more vulnerable users from posting.

@gamerchick

For a dinky little thread it is clear. For some of the mammoth threads perhaps it would add to the experience.

Still... nice to chat about it.

Nice username. My horse in Zelda is named Eric. Hence the username 😊 🎮

The Reddit voting system turns it into an echo chamber. The popular opinions (which aren't necessarily right) rise to the top and the unpopular ones are buried. Not that Mumsnet can't be an echo chambers at times but at least it doesn't have voting to make it worse.

Liking systems do have advantages for sure. Often it seems that a certain opinion will dominate a thread on Mumsnet even when it might not reflect the majority opinion, but people are perhaps just afraid to voice dissenting views. Anonymous liking would help that, however on balance I think it would be detrimental overall. I wouldn't agree at all with "downvotes" though as I don't think they have any benefit.

I would be in favour of the ability to edit a post for typos within 5 minutes or so, but any edit history can be viewed by others, to prevent abuse.

@iklboo

That’s a good point. Although the viper’s nest that some threads turn into is, I’m sure, far more of a turn-off than a 👍🏻 or a 👎🏻

Maybe Mumsnet could add their own upvote/downvote system based on famed Mumsnet Emojis.

or

@user127819

Yes, I do think that some form of upvote/downvote system would allow people to see a genuine reflection of opinions/attitudes.

I think many users lurk for fear of speaking up on certain threads. Sometimes likes/dislikes keep that in check. I doubt having an ability to show this would stop Mumsnetters from still having a discussion.

Perhaps like YABU/YANBU it could even be an option on a post so that a user could choose not to have it on their post if they didn’t want it.

@Time40

No, I don't think a Likes button would improve MN, for all the reasons pps have given above ... and because this is an adult site, and Likes buttons are childish.

Absolutely agree with this. One of the things I love about mumsnet is the ability to actually have proper intelligent conversation without likes/up votes/ down votes. Another thing I like it how simple it is imo. Totally user friendly! If I wanted a site like reddit I'd use reddit!

Wouldn’t it be a good compromise to just have the thread be in the same order but just have.

10 likes 12000 dislikes on the bottom of the post?

A downside to that might be that it keeps derailments and squabbles between 2/3 posters going for longer though.