Angry reaction response icon

[Zombie]

Hi

Just noticed a post with more than 6 “angry” reaction response icons - there was no “popular” heart icon

I’ve previously wondered if this icon and others like “Wow” are neutral (don’t count) or are “negative” and reduce accumulated “likes”. The post wasn’t bad or nasty but simply explained something bad that happened on another site.

On LPW I often use this in a playful way and I wouldn’t want to think i was penalising other players   

Cheers

 

[Myr]

There are no negative reactions. Just positive and neutral.

[Headstall]

18 hours ago, Myr said:

There are no negative reactions. Just positive and neutral.

Wow! As regards to story/chapter likes, I knew "Read It' didn't count as a like (just my opinion, but I absolutely hate that icon, and would rather a reader leave nothing on a story than it--I do not find it neutral at all, but see it as an opportunity to insult without explanation, and I'm not sure some readers are aware. In fact I know that some have no idea of the connotations it can have or the fact it is not a 'like'), but I had no idea 'angry' didn't count as a like. In my experience, readers use it as a reaction to a character's actions or something that occurred ( as have I), not directing it at the author or the story itself, and certainly not meaning they didn't like the story. I had thought of it as a good tool for the author to 'feel' a readers response. Now I'm left quite disappointed. 

I understand there are things I may not like, and I just accept them without comment, and I find most everything positive on GA, but this just doesn't seem right in my opinion. Shock(wow) and sad are positive expressions, but angry is not? Are we not inviting readers to express those emotions (along with the others like funny and love) about what is happening within the story itself, or am I wrong? 

Again, just my opinion. Cheers, and Happy New Year!

[Myr]

Some additional context:

1. The default action of "Sad" and "Angry" is typically a down vote (-1).  However, I have disabled all down voting on the site to avoid the issues that causes. 
2. Reactions are used across the site.  It uses the forum software's system.  Reactions in Stories are no different to reactions in the Forums.  People in the forum use "Angry" most often when they are angry with the creator of a post/content or that they said.  Most people view it that way as that is the internet 'default' so to speak. 
3. The reasoning behind the rankings
   1. Like (+1) - person liked the post/content.
   2. Love (+1) - person really liked the post/content
   3. HaHa (+1) - person found the post/content funny
   4. Wow (+1) - person was surprised by the content.  (This could got either way, we acknowledge.  good or bad surprise.  but we emphasize the positive)
   5. Sad (+1) - person was saddend by the content.  We made this positive because most times people use this reaction it is support the poster of the content
   6. Angry (0) - Person was upset by the content or the person posting the content.  This was made neutral because pissing people off is not a plus.
   7. I read It (0) - This is an acknowledgement that the content was read.  It was made neutral because if someone is flagging it as read, it's just an acknowledgement.  If they liked it they would have liked it.  if they were angry about, they would have chosen Angry.  I've seen it most in forum posts and not on stories/chapters. 

@Headstall, I can see not liking the "I read it".  I'm not fond of it myself when I see it on stories/chapters.  But you can view it as an opportunity.  Perhaps that reader didn't click with the chapter for whatever reason.... but they still took the effort to acknowledge they read it.  Engagement comes on many levels and we can't all get everyone, every time. 

[Timothy M.]

I shall stop using the  like on chapters, if they don't count. I had no idea this was the case.   I'm sure most readers (and authors) hadn't realized, so it's good to have a topic where it was explained.

[Ivor Slipper]

I have used the angry icon on occasions, but as @Headstall said, it is to express 'anger' at the actions of a character in that particular chapter/story. I would not consider using it to express anger at an author. Pity there can't be a difference between stories and forums where an expression of 'anger'  almost certainly has a different meaning.

[Headstall]

1 hour ago, Ivor Slipper said:

I have used the angry icon on occasions, but as @Headstall said, it is to express 'anger' at the actions of a character in that particular chapter/story. I would not consider using it to express anger at an author. Pity there can't be a difference between stories and forums where an expression of 'anger'  almost certainly has a different meaning.

Hey, Ivor! I've used it too, for the same reason. A character's actions or thoughts stirred my emotions, which I would always thank the author for. There's not much I can give another author, nor can they or a reader give me, but I can give them that. I actually liked the change in 'reactions' when it came in, because it gave me a better way to give instant feedback. I don't write for 'likes'--that would be quite hollow and unsatisfying--but I'm not ashamed to admit I do get motivation from reader support. I love the GA philosophy of  asking readers to make sure they 'like, comment, and review on any stories they read, and this just seems at odds with that. As writers, we all understand that is all we can receive for our efforts. I don't mind negative feedback in a comment, not at all, and I always respond to readers' concerns, but I only ever give such in private.

Until a few days ago, I thought all 'reactions' were positive, although I disliked 'Read It' very much, and never once employed it. I actually bristle when it is used on my stories or chapters, even when I thought it was a 'positive' reaction. I just saw it as rude, but I realize that's just me. I wish I had been aware 'angry' was a neutral reaction, but I wasn't, and am feeling guilty for using it. As it is set up, I considered that reaction an equal to love, like, happy, or sad, and was truly shocked it wasn't (I only recently became aware of 'Read it' not counting as a like, and I thought that was counterproductive enough to our mentioned philosophy). I should have paid more attention, I guess, but it never even occurred to me there was a difference. A 'like' was always a 'like,' to me, a chance to give the writer a nod and a thank you. Honestly, I see from conversations I've had it has confused some readers (myself included), and that can't be a good thing. Just my opinion, but there are now two reactions I would never consider using on someone's hard work.

That said, the sky isn't falling, but I will make an effort to change any angry likes I have left on story chapters. I only hope readers who use it often--and there are such readers--become aware that it isn't what it appears to be. That's not fair to them or the author. Cheers! 

[Cia]

To help members be "more in the know" I've added Myr's write up and some quick at a glance info to a FAQ topic. 

 

[Myr]

After a discussion with the GA support team, we have changed ALL reactions to be +1.  This is not retroactive. (I can't trigger the recount system as that would recount everything and likely remove from everyone's total due to removed content/members/etc.)

@Headstall@Timothy M.

[Timothy M.]

5 hours ago, Myr said:

After a discussion with the GA support team, we have changed ALL reactions to be +1.  This is not retroactive. (I can't trigger the recount system as that would recount everything and likely remove from everyone's total due to removed content/members/etc.)

Awesome   If we find chapters where we have left angry likes and redo them, then they will count, right ?

[Myr]

probably if you cycle them to something, let it save, and then cycle back.