Voting mechanism?

[iceniner]

What do people think of a voting mechanism, possibly secret, to determine whether new people stay or go? A liberal ban policy is one thing but... yeahhhh.

[DoctaD]

Hmm... I dont think so.

Possibly a Karma type system if people are interested.

[iceniner]

I suppose it doesn't matter much one way or another. As a comparative newcomer I probably shouldn't even say anything. There just seems to be a spate of trolls or idiots or... something. All the time. Probably a voting system wouldn't help.

[Raverous]

I think a karma/reputation system would be good, or maybe something like an agree/disagree button.

[catnips]

I don't like the idea of voting people off as that's the function of the moderators.

[lcnostra]

I have seen systems like this on other forums, and they are popular on sites like Digg and Youtube. The problem with rep systems is they have an incredibly high abuse potential.

Example - Someone gets butthurt in an argument and recruits their forum friends to "bury" or thumbs-down the other person on everything they post.

Maybe a positive-only rating system, or a "thanks" system? I feel like this would somehow be more feasible.

Regardless, rating systems are usually pretty meaningless. It doesn't seem like any potential rating system here would be attached to real consequences, as the fate of trollish members is up to the mods. Still, an interesting idea.

[iceniner]

I don't know if it matters at this point. IIRC, I posted this in the middle of a spate of trolling which now appears to have died down.