OK let's settle a debate. Should Mumsnet have a LIKE button? Or not?!

[littlepattilou]

Debates have been going on over several threads this past few days.

Some people think we need a LIKE button on here. Like on facebook, and Digital Spy, and I think Money Saving Expert may have one.

So, should Mumsnet have a LIKE button? So people can 'like' a post when they think it's good? (And it may save people having to post to say they agree?)

Or is it a bad idea? Because it may create cliques and ganging-up, and may give the person with the most 'likes,' the impression they are correct, and may make the other person feel isolated and ganged up on.

So click YANBU, for we do NOT NEED a 'like' button.

or

YABU, for we DO need a 'like' button?

Thanks

I prefer comments to likes. It creates conversation, which is the integral part of a forum 🤣

Lord no! It's bad enough with the trolls and shills making sock accounts to argue with themselves.
1001 little bots, all created to add Likes to some narcissist, would be even worse - and please don't tell me Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and all the other Like-addled platforms don't do it!

No to a like button. This is a discussion forum not social media.

And get rid of te bloody voting buttons as well. Let’s not pretend that they’re accurate anyway, a poster could post that her children boiled the kittens for dinner and ask if she was unreasonable to be annoyed and someone would vote YABU.

I can see the vote on smartphone, but I'm usually on ipad and that's a solid no go .

The edit button, just two minutes, not long enough for posters to change the meaning of the post. But even though I read and reread before posting there is always something. Since English is not my first language auto-correct can really screw up any writing. Countless times my 'r's are missing from you(r) and so on 😤.

Lord no! It's bad enough with the trolls and shills making sock accounts to argue with themselves.

Kinell. The internet seems to be REALLY bad for some people!

@Tanith

Lord no! It's bad enough with the trolls and shills making sock accounts to argue with themselves. 1001 little bots, all created to add Likes to some narcissist, would be even worse - and please don't tell me Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and all the other Like-addled platforms don't do it!

Good points! I never thought about the sock accounts and shills and potential bots.

@littlepattilou good point about the short-lived edit facility. A bit like adding to an online order will incur no extra delivery costs as long as you do it within half an hour!

@HeartsAndClubs

No to a like button. This is a discussion forum not social media.

And get rid of te bloody voting buttons as well. Let’s not pretend that they’re accurate anyway, a poster could post that her children boiled the kittens for dinner and ask if she was unreasonable to be annoyed and someone would vote YABU.

[quote MarieIVanArkleStinks]@littlepattilou good point about the short-lived edit facility. A bit like adding to an online order will incur no extra delivery costs as long as you do it within half an hour![/quote]
Oh I didn't know that about the online order. Thanks for that,

I would appreciate a like button. Very often a poster will sum up my feelings on an issue, far more eloquently than I could. I would like to show my appreciation of a post without either a quote saying yes, this is how I feel too, or a tagging of the person and saying that. Neither of which add to the conversation.

Next directory does this!

Yes. Often I think the first few comments (certainly the first page) set the tone of the thread and most people won't post their opinion after that if it deviates from the general consensus. A like button is an easy way to show you agree with a poster who might be getting a hard time for their opinions without the fear of being ganged up on.

I really think it would dumb down the content, as seen on so many other platforms. The lack of a "like" feature has actually become a unique and positive feature of this site.

@MammaSchwifty

I really think it would dumb down the content, as seen on so many other platforms. The lack of a "like" feature has actually become a unique and positive feature of this site.

Totally agree. Why do people want MN to be like every other site? If theses magical 'other sites' are so brilliant then go and play on them.

I’d like the fb system where you can comment on a comment rather than having to look through all the thread to find comments relevant to a particular posters opinion.

Nearly 500 votes, and the % is still roughly 57%/43%, (in favour of a LIKE button,) like it was after just 50-100 votes. It did fall over to 60/40 a couple of times, but has settled at 57/43.

That's if the figures here are to believed.

I am sure they're fairly accurate SOMEtimes.

Even so, mumsnet will still not put one in. I was just curious how many people wanted it, as there were several threads over the weekend, where people were debating whether there should be one.

Wanted to add, thanks to everyone who has participated so far.

Someone should count the comments in favour of/against and see how the percentage varies between the comments and the polls.

@GoToSleepBabyPlease

Someone should count the comments in favour of/against and see how the percentage varies between the comments and the polls.

That would be a good idea. It would even the balance for sure!

No to a like button.

@whenthebellsring

Came to aibu threads for this. Knew a smart cookie would start it. No. Absolutely not. Stand your ground and speak your mind or "nod sagely" and move on, like we're advised to do instead of writing This.

Mumsnet's USP is intelligent debate.

The vote does not reflect opinion as (a) you cannot vote on the app and (b) posters who want debate rather than likes are less likely to vote and more likely to comment !

No, absolutely not. I don't do Facebook or any of those types of media, I dislike the 'Like' idea and don't want to be 'liked' or otherwise. What's the point?
This site is for chats or advice or opinions and debate, 'Like' buttons stifle all that. Mumsnet doesn't need to be dumbed down!!

I've decided I'd like a 'cringe' button instead.

@Dilbertian

The vote does not reflect opinion as (a) you cannot vote on the app and (b) posters who want debate rather than likes are less likely to vote and more likely to comment !

It is possible to have a debate, and STILL vote.

Also, surely most people don't go only mumsnet on the app ALL the time.

I think the vote is pretty much usually fairly accurate in most of the AIBU threads/questions.

Most people say it's not accurate, if they don't like the result.