This recent question received an inexplicable downvote from some user who apparently downvoted every other question that was asked at around the same time. Can moderators find out exactly who this person is and bring him/her to task? I know that there are similar questions on meta to the one that I am asking here, but this is not an instance in which a certain individual is being targeted, but rather the community at large.
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
3
asked May 18, 2015 at 21:14
-
5$\begingroup$ That would require database access, which non-SE-staff site mods don't have. In my experience (as both a mod and normal user), speculation about votes is usually way off the mark. $\endgroup$– Bill DubuqueCommented May 18, 2015 at 21:21
-
$\begingroup$ Somewhat related: Is it considered serial voting even if the votes are not directed towards the same user? $\endgroup$– Martin SleziakCommented May 19, 2015 at 10:39
-
4$\begingroup$ To stress a point that might be lost: In my understanding moderators have no tools to detect this because there is no need for moderator action. $\endgroup$– quidCommented May 19, 2015 at 13:07
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
6
Nope. The tools moderators have are not precise enough to determine who voted on which posts (let alone at which times). Or even how many votes were given within short time-frames. We're only given tools to help identify targeted voting (targeted, that is, towards individual users). Even here precise details are not given to us, and we're given more aggregate information.
Community Managers, on the other hand, should be able to determine this. There is a contact us link at the bottom of every page. I don't think I heard of a mass-but-not-targeted-voting complaint being raised before, and IMHO it is questionable what, if anything, they would do about it.1
1 In fact there was an event in, IIRC, Dec 2013 where a user began to suddenly downvote arbitrary posts of generally high-reputation users. The moderators knew who it was after certain thresholds were passed, and the SE team was undeniably aware of the situation as well. In the end the account was deleted, but having been a high volume voter — before this unfortunate turn of events — all these downvotes were retained.
answered May 18, 2015 at 21:27
-
3$\begingroup$ I checked the reputation pages of the askers of 14 consecutive questions, and they were all downvoted between 14:48 and 14:52. That's pretty unusual, I think, especially since many of them aren't of the type that tend to be downvoted. $\endgroup$ Commented May 18, 2015 at 21:33
-
$\begingroup$ @epimorphic: Unusual is generally not enough to warrant action. In my dealings with the CMs I feel that they are generally quite hesitant to invalidate votes unless there is quite clear evidence of wrong-doing. While it is unlikely that someone would have a poor opinion on a number of consecutive questions asked on the site, it is also possible, and absent anything else I personally doubt that the SE team would intervene. $\endgroup$– user642796 ModCommented May 18, 2015 at 21:52
-
3$\begingroup$ @epimorphic Why do you think that those votes were cast by a single user? $\endgroup$ Commented May 18, 2015 at 22:07
-
4$\begingroup$ @BillDubuque why do you think epimorphic thinks "those votes were cast by a single user." No such claim is made by epimorphic. $\endgroup$– quidCommented May 18, 2015 at 22:28
-
2$\begingroup$ @quid Read the question. The OP wrote "some user who apparently downvoted every other question that was asked at around the same time... who this person is". The comment was meant for the OP but I couldn't change it after 5 mins. $\endgroup$ Commented May 18, 2015 at 22:33
-
4$\begingroup$ @BillDubuque Well, yes, but epimorphic is not OP. // Added after your edit; I see. Errors happen. I am glad we could clarify this. $\endgroup$– quidCommented May 18, 2015 at 22:37