RE: New Content Flagging System With Feedback
If youre talking about an optional system (and i get the impression tht youre not), then i guess i see no problem... though if its optional, its really no different than leaving a comment.
But what you really seem like youre talking about doing is restricting how and when people can use their votes. All i really see from the people up in arms about this issue is a bunch of double talk about how its aggression when someone votes a way they don't like.
And it is a vote, not a flag. Yes, i understand they changed the button shape in the UI to discourage people from thoughtless flagging. But a downvote is a vote. It uses the same function as an upvote.
You and james (and others up in arms about this issue) seem to have a bunch of rules that you made up out of the blue about when downvotes should be use, but i can't really see how its positive to allow you to impose your voting standards on everyone else.
Since downvoting/flagging is negative feedback to the user, the person who posted should have the right to know why so they can take that into consideration. The same could be said with upvotes. Could have optional checkbox (humorous, touching thoughtful etc). I think the more feedback people have about their content the better.
I think downvote and flag should be separate though. downvote could have the option to still take away money, (and require a quick checkbox with a few options too) but not have an effect on reputation for comments. And then the flag has a separate function that can influence reputation.
It's not a perfect system, but I want people to be able to speak their minds without tiptoeing around topics because it might hurt their reputation score.
I like that your opinion is different @sigmajin and it is valuable to take many perspectives into account before any change is implemented.