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I apologize in advance if this seems like whining. I have, however, observed someone - I think - systematically downvoting each new answer I provide. It would seem to me that this sort of downvoting avoids being reversed (as a recent spate of downvotes I received did get reversed) and is thus slightly frustrating. That said, I am aware that a) maybe my answers simply stink and deserve the downvotes, and b) the down votes don't really matter in the big picture. I agree, but still, I can't help but think that I am unfairly being targeted. Is the SE system able to detect such behavior?

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    $\begingroup$ Someone with access to the entire database could certainly detect it, but the mods cannot. $\endgroup$
    – Alex Becker
    May 5, 2014 at 4:34
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    $\begingroup$ @AlexBecker: thanks. $\endgroup$
    – Ron Gordon
    May 5, 2014 at 4:37
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    $\begingroup$ As far as I know, only SE employees have the ability to see who exactly is voting on your answers; the moderators are only able to see general trends regarding a user. You could contact SE directly at here; since I see at least $7$ of your recent answers that have been downvoted, this might be abusive enough for them to act. $\endgroup$
    – user61527
    May 5, 2014 at 4:38
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    $\begingroup$ @T.Bongers: and thank you for making me feel not all that oversensitive. I did contact the SE team at the link you provided. $\endgroup$
    – Ron Gordon
    May 5, 2014 at 4:43
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    $\begingroup$ @RonGordon No problem; retaliatory and abusive downvoting is extremely frustrating. $\endgroup$
    – user61527
    May 5, 2014 at 4:43
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    $\begingroup$ it's worth raising not just for personal reasons but also because such downvotes abuse the system as a whole because the total votes on a question or an answer don't fairly reflect the community opinion $\endgroup$
    – TooTone
    May 5, 2014 at 10:26
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    $\begingroup$ @RonGordon If a particular user is suspected, one can make 100% sure of this by deleting downvoted answers, observing appropriate reputation changes in a few minutes and undeleting. Even without further actions the knowledge of the origin of downvotes makes (at least me) feel a lot better. $\endgroup$
    – Start wearing purple
    May 5, 2014 at 22:21
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    $\begingroup$ @O.L.: How does one observe appropriate rep changes? $\endgroup$
    – Ron Gordon
    May 5, 2014 at 22:43
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    $\begingroup$ @RonGordon Open the page of the user X in question and record his reputation. Delete your downvoted answer. Wait a few minutes so that the system implements the reputation changes (in particular, your own reputation should decrease by appropriate amount) and then refresh the page of X. If he was at the origin of the downvote, his reputation will be increased by 1. Then undelete your answer, wait again and refresh the page of X. His reputation will decrease back by 1. $\endgroup$
    – Start wearing purple
    May 5, 2014 at 23:00
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    $\begingroup$ @O.L.: Ah, somehow I missed the part about having a suspect. I do not have one, so I will wait for the SE folks to get back to me. $\endgroup$
    – Ron Gordon
    May 6, 2014 at 8:48
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    $\begingroup$ This is a first world problem if I ever saw one. Hope the perp doesn't escape swift retribution though. $\endgroup$
    – Spine Feast
    May 6, 2014 at 23:07
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    $\begingroup$ The question is, will the user that has downvoted you get punished for abusing the reputation system? Like a temporal ban or something? Do we have a rule for that? I think we need one. $\endgroup$
    – math.n00b
    May 8, 2014 at 12:41
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    $\begingroup$ If it is one person, I would like the downvotes reversed, as well as every subsequent downvote reversed if necessary. I would also like that person to receive a warning and, if the behavior continues, to have his/her account suspended. But who knows; as I said, maybe my answers just stink. $\endgroup$
    – Ron Gordon
    May 8, 2014 at 12:44
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    $\begingroup$ @RandomVariable: feel free to email me at rlgordonma at gmail dot com $\endgroup$
    – Ron Gordon
    May 8, 2014 at 23:02
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    $\begingroup$ @MarkHurd: yes it did, and several other active, high-rep users were targeted at the time. I did have many downvotes reversed eventually and I consider the issue addressed, for the time being. $\endgroup$
    – Ron Gordon
    Oct 1, 2014 at 17:20

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