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Member survey: what should we do with the mark this post as helpful button?

Chris_B
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi everyone,

Under each post on the forum is a button called "mark this post as helpful".

This button was originally introduced following feedback from members that they would like a way to be able to show appreciation or acknowledgement for a post when they weren't up to writing an entire reply in response.

Recent discussion on the thread What stops you from joining in? has seen some members questioning the value of this button and suggesting that it can be used in an exclusionary way.

We are running a Survey Monkey to gather wider feedback on what we should do with the "mark this post as helpful" button. The three options we are canvassing are:

* Remove the button
* Keep the button
* Keep the button but call it something else

Please click here to take the survey, which we will leave open until the week of January 1 to give as many members as possible the opportunity to have their say.

You can also leave more in-depth comments here in this thread for discussion.

35 Replies 35

Hi Birdy,

Thanks for sharing the news about social media. It will be interesting to see what impact the changes there have and what they decide the new image will be.

I like that you raised this thread again because (to me at least) it is about more than a helpful button. It's about maintaining a safe, inclusive and welcoming forum community.

You used the term sensitive and that made me smile I must admit. It is a word that has been thrown at me at times as an insult (touchy, over sensitive) but in reality being a sensitive person is a gift and a positive feature too because it means we care about and consider other people's feelings.

Which made me wonder... given that so many of us here experience low self esteem, would changing a name or image would truly get to the heart of the problem?

Using myself as an example, I have to be very cautious not to fall into the trap of seeking approval and validation from others. It is a very easy pattern for me to fall back into and one that undermines my self esteem.

Even on these forums it took time to learn to ignore whether my posts are marked helpful or not.

When I find myself wanting the approval of others, I stop and consider what is happening within me. What has changed lately that I don't feel ok about what I write unless someone else approves of it?

To me that is the heart of the issue. I think it is quite natural to want to feel like we are worthwhile people.

Thank you Birdy. It helped me today to think about this.

Nat

demonblaster
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi everyone ☺

Might be too late but wondering if the button might work better if it says along the lines of you've been heard or acknowledged.

Laters lovelies 🕊

Addit. Soz forgot to mention that people can say in a reply if they want if it helped.

I remember an incredible CC Starwolf xx saying to someone you've been heard.

I thought for people and also felt very secure hearing that.

Cheers

Hello DB, Nat and everyone,

DB, i really like the idea of something like "you've been heard", or "i hear you" or some acknowledgment like that. "Thank you for sharing" is another phrase that comes to mind.

I often click the button to acknowledge somebody's contribution if i have read it buy can't immediately reply for some reason. i would prefer someone to know their post has been read at least.

I'd like to mention that i do use the button a lot , i like it to show that i appreciate a member's time and care and effort.

Nat you mentioned that we should be mindful about looking for approval, and I agree. I guess I'm just mentioning the whole thumbs up thing - it's, like, a *thing* , an approval, popularity symbol created by social media - y' know? And ... i'm not sure how to say, but ... i see bb as a totally different world to that and i guess I'd like to see a "thanks" button or something a bit different to what's out there in the rest of the online world. Something that doesn't measure how many peope *thumbsed up* (?) the post?

Sone will think I'm pedantic, but i think the stuff that's going on in other platforns shows that it can be a problem.

Not sure how to express it well.

Thanks all.

Hey everyone 🖐 Nat and Tweety 🤗

Thanks tweety and actually you expressed that really well.

I agree and don't at all see that as pedantic.

Here's a place where people are not only hurting and more vulnerable opening up about their pain.

BB being the incredibly great place and help it is want to make this as pain free as possible.

Your inputs always Gold tweets

Love Aunty Deebsta 💗🕊

Hi Birdy and DB and anyone else reading,

Nah it's not pedantic Birdy. It is a valid concern. DB mentioned members on the forums being vulnerable and I agree.

I suppose I'm not sure whether a change would make a significant impact. Are there other things we could be doing on the forums to encourage people to feel more confident that they belong?

DB you made me smile because I remembered reading Starwolf's posts as a new member and seeing her acknowledge people just as you mentioned.