Twitter testing post downvote feature to help it understand conversations

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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Twitter is testing an invisible downvote system with certain iOS users -- although the feature in its current form isn't a true dislike button.

Credit: Brett Jordan/Unsplash
Credit: Brett Jordan/Unsplash


The social media company confirmed the testing on Wednesday, saying that some iOS users may "see different options to up or down vote on replies." Twitter's official confirmation came after some users spotted a downvote message or saw an down arrow icon next to the "Like" button.

Some of you on iOS may see different options to up or down vote on replies. We're testing this to understand the types of replies you find relevant in a convo, so we can work on ways to show more of them.

Your downvotes aren't public, while your upvotes will be shown as likes. pic.twitter.com/hrBfrKQdcY

-- Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport)
The downvotes are invisible to the public and the author of the post, and exist only to let Twitter know "what people think is valuable to the conversation." In other words, it's not quite a dislike system like the one on Reddit.

Twitter is testing out downvotes on replies to tweets, secretly pic.twitter.com/fTwNOZ8eBB

-- Lorin Cox (@CoxSports1)


It isn't clear how widespread the downvote testing is, but it appears to be limited to specific users on iPhone or iPad.

Back in 2020, Twitter said it was "exploring" adding a dislike button or some type of downvote system. The social media giant has also long had a system for "disliking" a tweet, but only to tailor a user's feed.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    transmastertransmaster Posts: 13member
    I don’t care what Twitter does I deleted my account and I will never return. 
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 4
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Downvoting is something blogs tend to disable because it is often abused. There were a few blogs that, after a certain amount of downvoting, the targeted post was hidden. MacRumors allows a ‘disagree’ option. I wish AppleInsider would do something similar.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 4
    roundaboutnowroundaboutnow Posts: 766member
    lkrupp said:
    Downvoting is something blogs tend to disable because it is often abused. There were a few blogs that, after a certain amount of downvoting, the targeted post was hidden. MacRumors allows a ‘disagree’ option. I wish AppleInsider would do something similar.
    You are probably referring to Ars as one that hides the posts with a lot of downvotes. I like their system, because you have to select one of a few choices as to why you up or down voted. I also like the total +/-, although most posts with high vote counts usually go almost all "+" or almost all "-".
     
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 4
    Rayz2016rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    lkrupp said:
    Downvoting is something blogs tend to disable because it is often abused. There were a few blogs that, after a certain amount of downvoting, the targeted post was hidden. MacRumors allows a ‘disagree’ option. I wish AppleInsider would do something similar.
    I think there used to be a ‘downvote’ button a while back. 

    As far as I remember, it was removed because GatorGuy was pulling numbers so far below zero it was causing ripples in the space-time continuum. 
    edited July 2021
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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