Why is Rep Still Anonymous?

I did use the search feature and read some threads (all the way back to 2005) trying to figure out why but didn't see any clear reasons why it's anonymous. So I'm asking.

I saw some folks saying if you have a problem with anonymous red rep bandits to report it. That makes sense, but I dunno, wouldn't it make more sense to simply not have it anonymous? The admins of this site obviously know the anonymous red repping is a problem hence the -1 penalty for giving red rep yourself. But all that does is penalize people who have legitimate reasons to give red rep, no?

That kinda kills off the "it's not really a problem" argument too. So.... ?

 

So why not let them? The 20 people in between rep points kinda diminishes the likelihood that even happens. And because of the rep throttle limit they can't even give 20 people rep in a 24 hour period.

They'd have to give 20 people rep and wait 24 hours before they could give a neg rep.... And that would have to be after the person who gave the initial rep had the guts to do it in the first place with it not being anonymous.

Just saying I guess it seems the problem of retaliation isn't as likely as you might think and even then it would be a lot smaller problem than people running around giving red rep just because they can. It's done so much that people have started giving up reporting it. That doesn't mean it's not a problem and it doesn't make it right.

Thanks for taking a moment to answer.

 

That's probably because you can see everyone who gives you rep

That one little change of making it not anonymous anymore would literally stop the rep problem and make it fair. People would actually take rep more seriously because real people would have to leave their name with every rep and stand by it.

EDIT: Could I (or you) start a poll? I bet you a 7 day ban the majority of your users would rather see it non-anonymous.

 

OK well it's like I said. Most people have given up on reporting it because it happens so often. So you guys might not see it as a problem. But the problem is that big.

But there are people (especially in the P&R section) who run around giving negative rep when they lose arguments or just don't like someone in general. It's of course not only in the P&R section but it probably happens there most. They often leave vulgar messages along with their rep.

It's like this... you know how people are a bit more aggressive on the internet because of the anonymity? Well this provides them anonymity inside the anonymity. So they are a lot more bold about leaving red rep (even to the point they will take the -1 point for it) than they would be if they had to leave their name by it. In fact they simply wouldn't do it.

If anonymous red rep isn't a problem then why is there a -1 penalty for leaving negative rep? If you removed the cloak of anonymity from these cowards you wouldn't even need that -1 rule because that would deter them more than a measly -1 point would.

For those of us who buy and sell here on DP it goes beyond an annoyance to becoming a problem when your rep isn't what it should be and you have no idea why because the people leaving you red don't have to stand by it with their name or even leave a reason. Competitors or literally anyone can simply come along and vandalize your reputation completely anonymously.

Hope I explained it well. I'm sure others could probably explain it better. But I can definitely tell you, it is a problem.

 

Pardon me if I am off topic but there is another problem I think.
Somebody gave me a gray rep and wrote something which I wanted to answer. But I don't know who sent it to me there is no way to know that. Now I don't know how a person can give gray rep to other people. I mean when I press the rep button I only get two options approve or disapprove. Therefore the person who sent me gray rep obviously had super powers here.
Now If a mod sent this gray rep to me then it is Ok. But ordinary users should not have this authority to send such anonymous messages to other users.
Pardon me again if look stupid because I am still new to many things here.

 

The purpose it serves is that it deters people from leaving anonymous red rep in the first place.

I guess I should have just explained it like that in the beginning.

Oh and as for the P&R section carrying little weight, that's the beauty of being an anonymous red repping coward. You can leave red rep from anywhere. I've had people who had a problem with me from the p&r section go find an old post outside that section and give me neg rep

They simply wouldn't do that if they couldn't do it anonymously.

 

Oh no not at all. What I'm trying to stop is stuff like this.



Now it's obviously meant to be taunting and the person that left it probably got a good laugh. But it's also obviously an example of someone using your reputation system as a joke just because they can do it anonymously. And that's not even one of the vulgar ones.

Would you agree that this is not something someone would have done had they had to leave their name with the remark?

If you have a disagreement with my views that's one thing. That's what the forums are for. We can discuss it. But people are abusing the rep system and they are only doing so because it is anonymous.

That is the problem. Do you see?

There was even a running joke last year The "retart repper". It actually turned out to be a group of copycats doing it for fun.

 

Then I post a screenshot in the forum and make fun of them. But honestly, that's such a far fetched hypothetical. Let's be real, no one is going to do stuff like this if they can't do it anonymously. That's the whole point.

People who leave red rep from then on will do it because they have a valid reason to. Not just because they are feeling a little mischievous.

Let me post a poll and show you that even though you don't see it being a problem, the majority of regular users do.

Wait wait... better idea. Make it a feature for your premium members. Shawn, I guarantee you'll get a surge in signups.

I'm first in line.

 

Please Do that

I don't like to be abused anonymously. So if you are keeping the system then its a good idea to make it non-anonymous.

 

Adding it as a premium member feature?

Pshh dude, just adding that as a feature alone would fix the problem. Because the anonymous cowards would know that anyone could pay $25 for a month and they could see who left the remark. If you're leaving a legitimate red rep you have no reason to be anonymous.

 

George has a very Valid Point, if the rep is legitimate and offers critical advice with using swear words I'd never give red back.

 

Whether you agree with my political views or not I'm sure you all agree we'd rather have the neg reppers not be able to hide behind anonymity. Especially the ones here in P&R...

Even if it were just added as a feature for premium members the anonymous reppers would stop for fear they would be found out.

Feel free to drop in the thread today and add your opinions: http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1552857

Perhaps nothing will come of it but at least we have a civil discussion going on it. I remember back in the day people used to get tons of anonymous red rep just for starting a red rep thread .