Do Social News Sites Need Private Mail? Mixx Thinks So.
Are social news sites better off keeping everything above board and public, or do private messages foster a deeper sense of community by strengthening individual links between members?
One reason not to allow private messaging is that it could be used to game the system. The most active members might constantly be getting private messages encouraging them to vote up particular stories. Sites like Mixx and Digg are all about collective action, and they should be careful not to dilute that emphasis. But sometimes you just need to contact someone, and there should be an easy way to do that too.
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Yes, it will encourage more participation.
- No, it will encourage collusion.
Total Votes: 491
Started: February 5, 2008