A like button?

Shy posters may be posting on less contentious threads, household or gardening or whatever. There are many of them. But they may be shy about having an actual discussion and giving their viewpoint which puts them in the firing line from people who disagree.

‘Shy posters’; what is the point of joining in; and then not joining in?
I honestly don’t get it, I really don’t

Another reason why a green and red button is good (like/dislike or agree/disagree, whatever you think it means):

It would out the bullies! People often recognise when bullies are in action but they don't do or say anything. This would give them the chance to red flag the bullies and show them up. I think that would work well.

volver

^I think some of the bullying I've seen on GN has been far worse than that I have seen on other Social Media where you can disagree without argument.^

Have you been on Twitter?

No, I steer clear. I couldn't express myself in so few words...without a button!

Chestnut

Sometimes you just want to say 'I agree!' without writing the same thing again. And other times you want to say 'no, I don't agree with this!'

I don't believe shy posters would suffer in any way by having a button system. It enables them to have a voice. And who cares if the bullies want to go searching for posters they don't like? If their lives are really so sad they need to spend time doing this then you just have to feel sorry for them.

I suppose that's true. At least a like button is better than them following a poster around and verbally harassing them, often with a couple of hench women in tow.

I think I'm on the fence here.

There are at least two threads going today that I find interesting. But I haven't commented on them because I am enjoying reading what other people are writing. In my head, I'm going "oh, that's a good comment" then "Oh that's a good comment too, disagrees with the previous point, hadn't thought of that" Then, "Oh of course, that as well, good point". I really doesn't occur to me to "like" every post as it arrives...

Sometimes you just want to say 'I agree!' without writing the same thing again. And other times you want to say 'no, I don't agree with this!'

I don't believe shy posters would suffer in any way by having a button system. It enables them to have a voice. And who cares if the bullies want to go searching for posters they don't like? If their lives are really so sad they need to spend time doing this then you just have to feel sorry for them.

Icanhandthemback I like the idea of an "Agree", "Disagree" and "Don't know" button so that you don't get so many repetitive posts. It makes a thread very difficult to view with the more nuanced debate getting lost in the same thing being written again and again.
I agree absolutely. Some threads become very tedious with page after page of repeated comments. You eventually lose the will to live. I sometimes see a post I agree with absolutely and would love to click a green button! Instead I have to write virtually the same comment again.

FannyCornforth

Chestnut I think quite the opposite.
I think that it’s the bullies and disreputables who would benefit from a like button.
They always manage to turn things to their advantage

I agree. I can just imagine them flitting around from thread to thread finding opportunities to agree with anyone who has criticised a poster they don't like.

I've seen it done anyway, but it would make it even easier if they just had to press a like button.

With my well known thread killing skills I wouldn’t get any likes anyway. I’m not really interested in gathering likes though, I want other people’s thoughts and opinions.

So, here's a contentious post, I might be accused of bullying.

Some people write absolute drivel based on nothing other than prejudices. And I mean about important things, not whether Greggs sausage rolls are better than anybody else's.

Then when more than one poster comes along to disagree with them in the strongest terms, there are lots of call of "bullying" and "pile-ons". And let's not forget "I'm entitled to my opinion." A "like" button - or worse still a "dislike" button - would just make that worse.

I think some of the bullying I've seen on GN has been far worse than that I have seen on other Social Media where you can disagree without argument.

Have you been on Twitter?

Its not amazing that people would disagree. I am not amazed that you would like a like button.
My view is that I find Facebook is full of posts just created for likes. Its just so boring and well not real for want of a better description.

Definitely NO .

I like the idea of an "Agree", "Disagree" and "Don't know" button so that you don't get so many repetitive posts. It makes a thread very difficult to view with the more nuanced debate getting lost in the same thing being written again and again. I think some of the bullying I've seen on GN has been far worse than that I have seen on other Social Media where you can disagree without argument.

I wouldn’t bother with GN if it was just posts and likes. It’s the chat and debate and ,..yes..the arguments sometimes…which make it interesting.

Gosh so much adverse reaction - I find it amazing. I cannot see anything wrong with a like button. I am not a prolific poster - I don't have the time to write lengthy posts. I would welcome the ability to agree with a previous poster rather than writing the same thing over.

There are already posters who are ignored and those who get reactions to every post so how can a like button make that any worse. A like button would at least show that the post has been read.

Elizabeth27

I do not see why there would be a need to know how many people just agreed or disagreed with a post, it would turn into a popularity contest and the group that always sticks together would skew the result anyway.

That is why I am uneasy about it.

I do not see why there would be a need to know how many people just agreed or disagreed with a post, it would turn into a popularity contest and the group that always sticks together would skew the result anyway.

Chestnut

Lucca

Also what is the point of posting an anonymous like ??

It shows how many agree or disagree with that post. Pretty obvious I'd haver thought.

Yes but from the “timid poster” point of view I mean !

But why?

If a poster gets 100 likes and 100 dislikes (dislike button - another new requirement...), what does that add to the conversation? Other than that there are 100 people who agree or disagree with you? Most of us don't post here for "likes", we post to have a conversation and debate. I think?

Lucca

Also what is the point of posting an anonymous like ??

It shows how many agree or disagree with that post. Pretty obvious I'd haver thought.

Exactly Lucca

BlueSky

Having said that Chestnut even the ‘Like’ wouldn’t be anonymous? In fb you can see who posted or or or

The 'like' could be anonymous surely, just showing the total number of green or red clicks. We are anonymous on here anyway, so it's not really like Facebook where you know who the people are.

Also what is the point of posting an anonymous like ??