downvote

A downvote is a user action on many online communities to express disapproval or to indicate that a post is low quality or not useful. In most systems, a downvote decreases the post's score, and in some platforms it can also influence how prominently the post is shown, sorted, or recommended, thereby discouraging poor contributions and guiding attention toward higher-quality content. Downvotes are usually separate from flags or reports and are meant to reflect community assessment rather than a moderator decision.

Users downvote for reasons such as irrelevance, inaccuracy, poor formatting, or content that duplicates an existing post. The exact effects vary by site; some systems deduct points from the author’s reputation, while others simply adjust visibility or ranking. Together with upvotes, downvotes form a simple feedback signal that helps surface useful material.

Platform examples include Reddit, Stack Exchange, and YouTube. Reddit uses a public score derived from upvotes and downvotes to rank posts and comments. Stack Exchange uses downvotes to indicate quality problems, with potential reputation changes for the author. YouTube uses the downvote button to reflect disliking and can influence recommendations, though the exact impact has evolved over time.

Abuse and policy: Downvotes can be used in brigading, harassment, or retaliation, and many communities limit votes per unit time or require some participation history to vote. Some sites separate downvotes from flags and provide review queues or moderator interventions when content accumulates many downvotes.

Criticism and alternatives: Some critics argue that downvotes deter newcomers. In response, platforms may emphasize constructive feedback through comments, edits, or flags, and offer clearer guidance and moderation signals to help improve content quality.