This post is definitely not site policy, and at least I as the site admin disagree with any kind of “should” here.
People are already too hesitant to downvote content on the site. Explaining your downvote is good, but do not feel any obligation to do so. The voting system is anonymous for a reason. Use it for expressing what your values are, approximately whatever they may be, even if you cannot put them into words.
Maybe no “should”, but maybe an option to provide either (i) personal quick messages to OP, linked to the post, or (ii) anonymous public comments, could help. I guess (ii) would be silly all in all though. Leaves (i) as an option, anonymous or not anonymous. Not anonymous would make it close to existing PM; anonymous might indeed encourage low-effort rough explanations for downvoting.
Downvoted because 1) I don’t think people are too hesitant to downvote, and 2) I think explaining one’s reasoning is a good epistemic hygiene (downvoting and not explaining is like booing when you hear an idea that you don’t like).
I don’t think such considerations apply to upvotes nearly as much if at all. Upvotes indicate agreement or approval, which doesn’t need to be explained as thoroughly as disagreement (which usually involves having separate, alternative ideas in your head different from the ideas of the one you are disagreeing with)
This post is definitely not site policy, and at least I as the site admin disagree with any kind of “should” here.
People are already too hesitant to downvote content on the site. Explaining your downvote is good, but do not feel any obligation to do so. The voting system is anonymous for a reason. Use it for expressing what your values are, approximately whatever they may be, even if you cannot put them into words.
Maybe no “should”, but maybe an option to provide either (i) personal quick messages to OP, linked to the post, or (ii) anonymous public comments, could help. I guess (ii) would be silly all in all though. Leaves (i) as an option, anonymous or not anonymous. Not anonymous would make it close to existing PM; anonymous might indeed encourage low-effort rough explanations for downvoting.
I think nudges towards feedback might make sense, especially if anonymous. I do think feedback is good!
With LLMs, we might be able to aggregate more qualitative anonymous feedback.
Downvoted because 1) I don’t think people are too hesitant to downvote, and 2) I think explaining one’s reasoning is a good epistemic hygiene (downvoting and not explaining is like booing when you hear an idea that you don’t like).
These considerations also apply to upvotes (to the extent that they do).
I don’t think such considerations apply to upvotes nearly as much if at all. Upvotes indicate agreement or approval, which doesn’t need to be explained as thoroughly as disagreement (which usually involves having separate, alternative ideas in your head different from the ideas of the one you are disagreeing with)
Whether upvotes need to be explained overall is not relevant to my comment, as I’m talking about the specific considerations named by Noah Birnbaum.