When should we give a negative rating?
By natalie1981
@natalie1981 (1995)
Singapore
April 20, 2007 11:03am CST
I'm a little torn whether I should use this "-" button or not or if I should use it, when's the right time to use it? Other people rate discussion negatively just because they disagree with that person's opinions...On one hand, every person has the right to express their opinions and I don't really like the idea of anyone rating my opinions negatively just because they disagree specially when I've carefully worded my response so as not to be offensive to anyone.
So if I don't rate a person negatively just because we have different opinions, again, when should I use this? If someone is really offensive? But isn't that what the "!" button is for? Mylot's guidelines specifically state that no person should "inflame" another.
I've only rated two responses negatively before, it's because I thought that the response was kinda on the offensive but until now, I still feel guilty that I used it since the responder's intention might be clean. So tell me, when do you give a negative rating?
14 people like this
28 responses
@emarie (5442)
• United States
20 Apr 07
one should NEVER rate negativly just because they don't agree with you...thats really unfair. this is a public forum. i think negative raitings should be given to reponses that would really have nothing to do with the topic...it happens. not that often anymore. and to people who come onto a topic just to make trouble, use rude comments and whatnot. things like that. i've rated a few with negatives, but mostly positives. i think someone rated me - because she thought i took her topic, but it was just a missunderstanding, but by then, i guess it was too late...
7 people like this
@kaka135 (14916)
• Malaysia
20 Apr 07
I never rate any negative rating before. Usually when I think it's a really good discussion or response, then I'll rate "+". Otherwise, I just don't do anything.
Yeah, I do agree that everyone has his own opinions and his rights to express what he's thinking. But when we found someone is cheating or abusing the usage of mylot, perhaps we should rate him "-" or report to mylot team? So that it will help the mylot community maintaining a clean and comfortable site. That's my opinion.
@goshimhappy (334)
• United States
20 Apr 07
I give a "-" rating if somebody posts gibberish like "vfsdv43f34c4" just to get his post count up and to get more money. I always give a "+" to anyone who writes a decent post thats more than 2 words whether I agree with their opinion or not.
@5000ml (1923)
• Belgium
20 Apr 07
People really misuse the minus button, they find it's a great way to actively get back at you if you have a different opinion than the one they may have. The minus button should only really be used for responses that were abusive or offensive or if the whole response was simply a copy and paste. Just giving a minus based on a difference of opinion is just plain unfair, but I have to say that I can always tell when someone is going to do it as their responses already reflect their attitude.
@AshokaTheEmperor (16)
• India
21 Apr 07
giving negative ratings.. It's people perception how they took the meaning of your response. definately when anybody disagrees he should tell that why he feels so.
2 people like this
@KissThis (3003)
• United States
20 Apr 07
I have only rated two people negatively. Not because either had disagreed with me. One just typed letters in the respose like such kjkdsjhfksdhflk I didn't feel that was a true response. Another wrote some jibberish that didn't make any sense either. When I first started on mylot a friend explained to me that you rate people negative if they aren't discussing the topic.
3 people like this
@Calais (10893)
• Australia
20 Apr 07
I have only used it twice on here. The first because it was just a viscious comment and uncalled for which I thought was nasty, and the second, because the answer was just a simple "no", I thought that that was just so lazy and no effort was put into the answer.
2 people like this
@browneyedgirl (1264)
• United States
20 Apr 07
I agree with you. I wouldn't rate a discussion or response negatively, unless it was obviously intended to be offensive. The abusive discussions or responses need to be reported as they detract from the myLot community, in my opinion.
@manvik (981)
• Hungary
21 Apr 07
Usually I dont give any negative rating.I try to give always postive rating.I don't rate a response if it is not descriptive or the reply is quite negative or offensive.I think we should not use the negative button.If the response is negative or offensive try to avoid and don't add any comment.
@CoffeeAnyone (3210)
• Canada
20 Apr 07
First I didn't know there was a rating button. Secondly I probably wouldn't put a negative because I didn't like something. I would only put negative if the person just came in to put the writer down or something like that. I am not sure. Nice to know that there is a rating system though. Well I use it? hmm Maybe if something was written exceptionally well.
2 people like this
@mitchacoy (251)
• Philippines
21 Apr 07
I think we should rate a response with a negative if it doesn't make any sense or maybe it doesn't go with the question. So far, I haven't rated any negative at other's response.
1 person likes this
@jc_star10 (953)
• Indonesia
21 Apr 07
I only use negative rating once up until now. And that's because this person answers with no sense at all. He/she only post with one liner and one word only. It's okay for me with one liner and one word, only if that's make sense to me and actually respond to discussion. But this one not. So, i do felt guilty after that, but I just don't understand why he/she did that to my discussions.
@gemini1960 (1161)
• Philippines
21 Apr 07
right now i havent rated anyone negative yet even how foul the language he was using,its his way of addressing some discussion and we have different views on every aspect of it.
1 person likes this
@domesticengineer (576)
• Philippines
21 Apr 07
I don't really give any negative rating. If I don't feel like giving a positive rating to a discussion I don't dare give a negative rating instead. Besides, I'm not really sure what that negative sign is for. I hope someone could really discuss what that's for.
@little_angel (2458)
• Australia
21 Apr 07
I will give a "-" rating if someone is keep respond the same thing, and they don't give anything only a scam's site over and over again.
@uiwwitch (892)
• United States
21 Apr 07
I have only given one or two negative rating. One was because the person was rude and was trashing everybody that responded against his opinions. He wasn't even the one who started the discussion. It was obvious he was trying to flame the discussion and even when no one was minding him he just kept pushing it. Otherwise I try to hold off on giving a negative response. This is a discussion board with almost 88 thousand members, there's bound to be differences in opinion. That doesn't mean the discussions can be peaceful.
1 person likes this
@lilyoungfella (1196)
• Philippines
21 Apr 07
I've never used that positive-negative button. I would be unfair for those who made an effort in making a response unless an OFFENSIVE response is made.
1 person likes this
