Are likes necessary

[rary]

There was something on the telly this morning, where they were talking about how children's outlook can be influenced by the number of likes they get on social media, I did not hear the full interview, but it did make me wonder about why we have these on the Vine, this is the first and only social media site I am on, and personally,if I don't put a like at a post it is not because I don't like it, as some time I quickly scan through the posts for information, and there are some posts I find funny and some informative, if there was anything I strongly disagreed with I would make a comment about it, but every one is entitled to their opinion, even if they are wrong
So do we need "likes" on the Vine?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Of course likes aren't necessary but I personally am more inclined to like something posted by personnas that I like. I won't like just anything mind but I have liked the op on this thread. Nice to log in and find a flurry of likes for something posted earlier too.

[Scarlet]

I often click like as an acknowledgement that I've read it, especially a response isn't required.
I'm on a few other forums (not gardening) one of which doesn't have the like button and I often finding myself posting a thank you as a response to my opening question when a like would have done the same.

[veggiechicken]

I'd like a "dislike" button or a summat even ruder at times.

[KevinM67]

Similar to Scarlet's experience - on the other main 'non-gardening' forum I frequent, where there is no 'like' option, you often get people quoting some large post just to say "I agree with this", or "I Like This", "Thanks", etc.

Sometimes that reply is also quoted, with a comment like "I also agree with this" - you then end up scrolling through posts, with re-quotes, and further re-quotes and it end ends up being a bit messy.

To 'spice' things up a little, maybe we should add a 'Dislike' button - that would be fun.

[KevinM67]

Looks like I'm on the same wavelength as VC

[veggiechicken]

^^^ I "like" that, Kelvin

[Bren In Pots]

Similar to Scarlet's experience - on the other main 'non-gardening' forum I frequent, where there is no 'like' option, you often get people quoting some large post just to say "I agree with this", or "I Like This", "Thanks", etc.

Sometimes that reply is also quoted, with a comment like "I also agree with this" - you then end up scrolling through posts, with re-quotes, and further re-quotes and it end ends up being a bit messy.

To 'spice' things up a little, maybe we should add a 'Dislike' button - that would be fun.

Kevin sums up just what I would have posted. wonder if there's a sympathy as well as a dislike button.

[Thelma Sanders]

I like them LOL

Seriously though, no like button is fair enough, as are people that disagree with your post and say why - but a dislike button, could I think - upset a lot of people. Not everyone is thick-skinned enough for that. It gives others a chance to be nasty just for the sake of it, if they are that way inclined.

[Snadger]

We didn't always have 'likes' on the forum but the last update added them. God forbid we have another update as the last one also lost all our photographs.

I remember the present emoji's were also changed but brought back by popular demand.

I don't mind the 'Like ' button and use it, surprisingly enough, if I like a post!

I would be totally against an 'unlike' button as we are a friendly forum and this would only make for arguments. I think the Modding system is far better than given credit for , and i would prefer to keep it this way!

[Cadalot]

We didn't always have 'likes' on the forum but the last update added them. God forbid we have another update as the last one also lost all our photographs.

The update never actually happened, they just had a server crash and didn't have an adequate back up system in place. I do like to the Likes as it informs me that the thread is being looked at and is likely to have more remarks on it.

[bikermike]

I like them.

I think teenagers and their interaction with social media is a bit different for two reasons
1) teenagers are generally insecure about their place in the world anyway (and tend to take it out on their peers), so it's more they are insecure about "likes" as that is how they conduct their social interaction, so they'd simply find something else to be insecure about if this wasn't there
2) teenagers *tend* to post about their lives and loves for validation of them as a person.

As we tend to be posting about gardening, the worst that can happen is someone doesn't validate your view on gardening, which isn't a major thing.

[veggiechicken]

While we're on the subject (or not) of emoji thingys, am I the only one who makes the face of the emoji when I post it?

This one is the most difficult and I rarely have to do this one

[Small pumpkin]

I find received likes quite useful especially when some of my posts may sail a little close to the wind.
Sarcasm is very difficult in the written word (especially for a dyslexic). So receiving a like means at least one person has understood and not taken offence.

[Newt]

I don't think likes are an absolute necessity, but I do think they can be useful. It's helpful for me to be able to add a *like* to people's posts offering me advice especially if there's been a dozen replies since the last time I logged in! Otherwise it might get a bit frustrating for people to see a mile-long post of me thanking each person. I kind of treat it as just that - an acknowledgement and a show of appreciation for the poster.

Re: teens and social media, I agree it's quite a different situation for a lot of them. I'm trying to think about the social media sites the kids I know use a lot, and it's places like reddit, tumblr, youtube, mastodon and vine when it was still around, where a lot of what the kids are producing is creative or humorous stuff that they then put out into the world, and likes kind of form a part of the "conversation" so to speak.

Which can be a bad thing as well as a good thing, depending on how invested the kid is in the thing they've put out there and how much value they put on other people's opinions.