[paulpauper]

I have noticed more downvoting in general of comments compared to pre-2022 or so, and it's not like it's trollish or bad responses being downvoted. It's an eggshell thing. Comments even get downvoted when there are replies in agreement. It's not a left-right thing. Even apolitical stuff gets downvoted. Comments about health, obesity, diet tend to get a lot of downvotes if they question conventional wisdom (obesity rates at record highs, yet any commentary or advice that deviates from convention or expertise is downvoted even these experts with their generic advice cannot actually help the majority of people lose weight).

[unclebucknasty]

>It's not a left-right thing. Even apolitical stuff gets downvoted. Comments about health, obesity, diet tend to get a lot of downvotes...

Well, everything has become political though, right? I mean, you mentioned health, but that's actually a hyper-political topic.

[paulpauper]

maybe political division has made people more inclined to downvote out of disagreement overall, as being symptomatic of angrier times.

[bediger4000]

Honesty, I have to disagree. 2020 seems like the height of downvoting to me. My suspicion then was an anti-vaxxer voting ring. There was also a pro-trump under current, 2018-2020, Jan 6 seems to have ended that.