I have just had a spate of downvotes - from three particular accounts (which are actually one account) - in response to a one of my comments on a post from a witness in which said witness commented on the activity of a former witness. For obvious reasons, no name, no pack drill. My comment was factual and not personal and to the effect that I didn't appreciate being trapped into an email harvesting exercise under false pretenses. The upshot: I've been trolled and downvoted - and since that post, those accounts have been ramped up so their downvotes have power. On one of my posts, those three votes cancelled out the three votes I had received.

This is all a long way to saying that IMO a downvote option is not going to stop this behaviour. It may "liberate" noobs in that they can express a view without writing that view, but that's not helpful either. Again IMO a different view is neither good nor bad, but should be justified. Isn't that what engagement is about? And being adult and agreeing to differ is what we ought to be doing.

And for the third time, IMO, a downvoting button is not going to stop certain behaviour - like that of trolls and bullies.

Finally, these accounts have commented on some of my posts and comments when they have downvoted and I have elected not to rise to the bait.