Suspicious downvote pattern

Question

I have noticed some suspicious downvotes on my questions recently.

Jul 25
-2  23:44   downvote    XML, XHTML, SGML and HTML
Jul 23
-2  51 mins ago     downvote    GUI editor for editing djvu bookmarks
-2  7 hours ago     downvote    “Processor register” and “IO register”
Jul 20
-2  11:53   downvote    eMule cannot create Incoming Files directory
Jul 19
-2  12:23   downvote    kill all processes of a user except a few in linux
Jul 15
-2  22:21   downvote    Text processing: convert text of table of content into djvu bookmark format?
-8  22:19   downvote    XML, XHTML, SGML and HTML
Jul 10
-2  02:29   downvote    What determines endianness
Jul 8
-2  20:43   downvote    What determines endianness

I have given it some time and I am afraid the downvotes, possibly except some on "XML, XHTML, SGML and HTML" which was closed, might be out of someone's hostility towards my account. I was wondering if moderators are able to confirm or dismiss my worry.

Answer 1

TL;DR: To be honest, I don't see anything too suspicious about it. Remember that voting is highly subjective. Reasons why it's probably normal and why you shouldn't worry:

• The votes occurred on different dates, sometimes days apart from each other.
• You asked a lot of questions (over 170). You will probably have to live with the fact that you might receive the occasional downvote.
• The reputation loss is marginal. It takes three downvotes (-6) for every upvote (+5) for you to actually lose reputation.
• You haven't given an answer yet – if you have something useful you want to share or anything you can help with, a good answer will get you 10 points per upvote :)
• Finally: If there really was one user being hostile against your account, you would have received much more sequential downvotes

---

To help you understand though, let's take a closer look at those questions. Please don't take it personally, I am just trying to explain why it's probably not as suspicious as you might think.

• XML, XHTML, SGML and HTML,
• “Processor register” and “IO register”,
• What determines endianness

Why have you received downvotes on those? Well, ever since voting on questions became "free" for the user casting the vote (i.e. by not losing any reputation), it became easy to downvote a question.

One of the reasons for doing so (it says so in the downvote button's caption):

"This question does not show research effort".

... which can be argued is the case in some of these questions. Note that I did not downvote any of your questions, but other users might think they fall under that category. Also, take a look at the How to Ask guide:

If you ask a vague question, you’ll get a vague answer.

... and of course _{(emphasis mine)}

Have you thoroughly searched for an answer before asking your question? Sharing your research helps everyone. Tell us what you found and why it didn’t meet your needs. This demonstrates that you’ve taken the time to try to help yourself, it saves us from reiterating obvious answers

... and, last but not least, from the FAQ:

You should only ask practical, answerable questions based on actual problems that you face

To summarize, if a user reading one of these questions thought they might not meet the quality standards or guidelines of the FAQ, you'll get a downvote. It happens.

---

Now let's see the other two you've mentioned:

• kill all processes of a user except a few in linux
• Text processing: convert text of table of content into djvu bookmark format?

For those, it's not that obvious anymore why somebody would downvote those. In fact, I upvoted your second question because it's a valid and practical one, based on an actual problem, and it might also be useful to others. The other one, well, you will have to live with that.

I believe it has happened to all of us. For example, on this question I got downvotes on both the question and my own answer – I still haven't figured out why. But it's nothing to worry about.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

Voting is anonymous - any user, including a Moderator cannot determine who put in the votes.

I don't think the downvotes are anything suspicious ( and I certainly don't think anyone has any hostility towards you or your account).

IMO, the voting trend on your account look normal - there's nothing suspicious - whether upvotes or downvotes that seems to come out.

Answer 3

Unfortunately, a certain "effort" in facilitating the downvoting has unbalanced the system in favor of answering questions instead of actually asking them. It's easier to lose reputation if you ask questions. It's something I cannot agree with, since questions are the arteries of this place; where everything begins. But it's this imbalance that must have you prepared to that type of voting pattern you experienced.

It's also quite visible that, contrary to even an year ago, questions do not often get upvoted. I've been seeing more and more questions, with quite a few answers on some instances, sometimes even with an accepted answer, and often with a considerable number of views, and no one -- not even a single soul -- upvoted the question. It's a sad state of affairs that is only bound to increase I'm afraid, and that is going to slowly corrode at this place. It denotes a certain hostility towards people asking questions, even if unintentional. Especially when coupled with all the other problems.

We just don't properly reward the inquisitive in here. And that will cost us. Let's hope I'm wrong.

Anyways, what this all means is that when asking questions, downvoting patterns will be much harder for you or anyone else (including moderators and any detection scripts) to properly identify as ill-intent. There's too many subjectivity around this matter to allow anyone to confidently be accused of abusive behavior, for one. And there's too many reasons for one to get downvoted when asking questions and too little to be upvoted, for another. As an example of the latter, take a look at old questions (circa 2010 and 2009) and what we used to allow to happen here and the type of behavior we have today. Most of those top voting questions would be torn to pieces by today's... erm, standards. Particularly this curious one; the "do your research before asking" one. You can bet a lot of this place would be much quieter if people actually did that research. Everyone would probably leave and Superuser would close because serving 5 or 10 questions a day isn't sustainbale (if that much, since most days I can count only one or two questions that actually showed said research effort). So should we downvote any question that doesn't include proof of any research being done? There's a lot of downvoting to be done there. Well, I think not. I don't even think this rule makes any sense whatsoever. It just contributes to introducing a gray area where everything is pretty much allowed. And with that you hammer another nail on the questions coffin.

I'm afraid I used your question let some air go. But I hope you heard some different insight to some of the canned answers you got above.

Be well... and want an advise?... answer more than what you ask. I know, it's silly. But it works.

Answer 4

Well everybody loves reps.. however, when you felt so badly that you need to raise a post just because of some 20 rep lost, please do take a break and realize that it is just a simple number, no more and no less...

plus it is designed to be accomodating. it is not like you are penalized by a downvote as much as you are rewarded with a upvote. there is a large ratio there, and most people, like me (I must say that honestly I haven't voted on any of your questions or answers as far as I could remember) almost don't downvote.. (i think i have given three downvote or something so far...)

and there is already some mechanism in this site that prevent downvoting en masse.

in essence, be nice to others, give good quality answers & questions, and you will have a great flow of reps going to your account, sometimes years after the original answer..

...
 2    149510 (10)
 2    149510 (10)
-- 2011-06-14 rep +160  = 4724    

the answer there was this answer.