Votes by Trolls

[Boxlicker101]

Is anything done about votes by trolls? I have read some people saying that sometimes Laurel makes some votes disappear, but what is her criteria? There have been times that I have looked at a vote total and looked later and seen the total vote has decreased. Sometimes the average has decreased, meaning a 5 has been deleted and sometimes the average has increased, meaning a lower vote has been deleted, usually a 1.

I have one story that had nine votes, all fives. Finally, the tenth vote was registered, also a five and the story gained the coveted red "H". Hours later the eleventh vote was cast and this was a 1 by a troll. I have another story that had nine votes, one 4 and eight fives. Finally, the tenth vote, also a 5 was cast, and the story sported a red "H". Hours later, the eleventh vote, a 1 again, was cast, also by a troll. Since then, the story has collected three more votes, all fives.

I refer to the votes as being by trolls because that is the term I have read others using. If I have a story that has all ones and twos, they would be honest expressions of opinion. If I have a story that has all fives, or an occasional 4, and somebody casts a 1, that is just nastiness or personal animosity against me, who knows what for?

I don't care all that much because I write for fun and to give people smut to wank or frig to but I do like to be appreciated, like probably anybody would.

 

[gauchecritic]

I think you answered your own question there Box.

A 1 vote on a straight 5 story is one of the criteria Laurel uses I'm sure.

However, unlike you or me Laurel can find out who exactly it was that cast the vote and can look at that person's voting history too. If it's a troll I'm guessing Laurel will delete 1's from lots of stories on that day.

Like you say, the votes don't really matter, but there are two exceptions to this; one, they can take away your red H and two, they can, in very specific circumstances rob you of money.

C'est la vie.

Gauche

 

[Guest]

I feel your pain. My newest story had 7 votes of 5. Someone came along and bombed it with a one, dropping the rating down to 4.5. Time will tell as to whether or not Laurel will delete the one.

I have had other stories bombed and usually Laurel corrects the problem. I don't know how Laurel does it, taking so much time to make sure the trolls don't get the upperhand. She does a fantastic job.

CM

 

[Boxlicker101]

I think you answered your own question there Box.

A 1 vote on a straight 5 story is one of the criteria Laurel uses I'm sure.

However, unlike you or me Laurel can find out who exactly it was that cast the vote and can look at that person's voting history too. If it's a troll I'm guessing Laurel will delete 1's from lots of stories on that day.

Like you say, the votes don't really matter, but there are two exceptions to this; one, they can take away your red H and two, they can, in very specific circumstances rob you of money.

C'est la vie.

Gauche

Hi, Gauche.
Maybe so but it has been about a month now, and some other stories have changed but not the two I mentioned. Both the stories were at the front of their respective categories, which makes them a particular target for trolls.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I've seen another story site that has stories and voting, and they show the voting results as a histogram. You know, so many 5's, so many 4's etc. Like when you see the results of a poll here.

With histograms, 1-bombs show up very clearly.

Might be nice.

---dr.M.

 

[shereads]

I think you answered your own question there Box.

A 1 vote on a straight 5 story is one of the criteria Laurel uses I'm sure.

However, unlike you or me Laurel can find out who exactly it was that cast the vote and can look at that person's voting history too. If it's a troll I'm guessing Laurel will delete 1's from lots of stories on that day.

Like you say, the votes don't really matter, but there are two exceptions to this; one, they can take away your red H and two, they can, in very specific circumstances rob you of money.

C'est la vie.

Gauche

So if I'm the only person who hates the story, my vote doesn't count? This is like the electoral college after all.

From now on, I don't vote. Unless there's a bribe of some kind.

 

[Weird Harold]

Is anything done about votes by trolls? I have read some people saying that sometimes Laurel makes some votes disappear, but what is her criteria?

For the routine, periodic vote adjustments, there is only one criterion -- a vote from the same source as a previous vote. Laurel doesn't make a distinction between a duplicate one vote and a duplicate five vote.

The only time Laurel gets involved with "Troll Votes" is if an author complains that ALL of their stories got multiple one votes at the same time, or if there is a complaint about a pattern of low votes on contest entires.

Laurel has said several times that anyone is entitled to vote on a story for whatever reason they want to -- once. She generally only concerns herself with malicious voting patterns where they are an obvious attempt to affect contest results -- i.e. votes from an author on all competing stories.