It flashed on and off the screen earlier today, but I'm hoping that it's here to stay now that it appears to be back.
What exactly am I talking about?
YOUR REPUTATION.
It appears to be another solid step forward for the ever-changing steemit community. So many have been working so hard to uphold the integrity and reputation of steemit, and all the while so many others have been working hard at trying to manipulate and hustle the steemit system. There's been quite a battle going on behind the scenes for some time now, and most users are aware of it because of what gets displayed on the surface.
WHY YOUR INTEGRITY IS A GOOD THING
First off, with both a positive and negative possibility for a reputation, it helps newer users understand when they are most likely dealing with spam bots. If a username has a (-6) after it, you can be pretty sure you're not dealing with a real person, and if you are, you may not want to be. Something that the user has been up to has lead those in charge to attribute a negative reputation to that username. Most likely, spam is the cause. It is important to remember that the number assigned did not cause the bad reputation, but rather the other way around. Also, a reputation can be changed, so if you've wound up with a (-6) behind your name and have no idea why, I would ask.
Additionally, having a public reputation encourages honesty and integrity in the community. Thinking of posting an image that you did not take for a photo contest? How will that affect your reputation when you are found out? To spend serious time working on worthwhile and honest posts is one way to earn a positive reputation. A public reputation number encourages diligence and perseverance, and deters spam and plagiarism.
If you've seen any of my posts before, you'll know that proof of the originality of my work is important to me, because whether I have a posted, public reputation or not, my reputation still matters.
Personally, I hope the reputation rating system in here to stay, and I also hope that someone on the inside will soon take the time to explain it a little more in depth for us.
HOW ABOUT YOU?