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I have found the following in my reputation status:

+6 | 4 hours ago | reversal | Serial downvoting reversed

I was wondering if someone could please explain what this is?

2 Answers 2

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Every once in a while, someone goes on a downvoting spree - picking a user and downvoting a whole bunch of his questions, or just downvoting every single question on the front page. This is a form of vandalism that is inescapable in an open group like SE.

Luckily, a lot of these vandalistic behaviors are easy to spot, not only by mods and admins, but also by automatic algorithms. When a serial downvoting spree is identified, those downvotes are cancelled, and anyone who lost reputation points from them will be getting them back. This is what this message is telling you - that you've been reawarded rep points that were taken away illegitimately.

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  • Thanks. What a great system! I have to say that a lot of my questions have been downvoted for no apparent reason, although others come to my rescue and upvote those which are worthy of it!
    – Often Right
    Apr 30, 2014 at 7:58
  • Is it also able to determine who has done the serial downvoting and apply sanctions to the downvoter? I know that wasn't possible a while back.
    – Tango
    Apr 30, 2014 at 8:01
  • It swings both ways. I received a notice that someone was serially upvoting me and 500 of my reputation points vanished...
    – Valorum
    Apr 30, 2014 at 10:04
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    @Richard I assume this is to discourage sock-puppets, fake users created just to upvote or accept answers. Either you had upvotes mistakenly tagged as sock-puppety, or you were caught in the wake of somebody's sock puppet.
    – Avner Shahar-Kashtan
    Apr 30, 2014 at 10:51
  • @Richard - that's nearly inescapable for prolific posters. New users see a great answer by a user with tons of questions; and naturally assume they post other good answers (hell, I do that) and go read the answers in a binge... and freqently read them in volume sorted by votes... and want to express their appreciation (as per system design) by granting more upvotes. However, they don't know that this looks like a suspicious behavior to a bulk voting script. Thus, despite quite possibly merely violating the letter of bulk voting rules and not the spirit, their votes are reversed.
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Apr 30, 2014 at 15:21
  • @AvnerShahar-Kashtan - a third option is merely poorly informed fan. I had to constantly stop myself from upvoting too many of Slytherincess' answers back when she was more active; for fear of setting off the script's alarms - she just posted so darn many good answers.
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Apr 30, 2014 at 15:23
  • @DVK Exactly, that's what I meant by "mistakenly tagged". The dangers of being awesome. :-)
    – Avner Shahar-Kashtan
    Apr 30, 2014 at 15:26
  • Great job admin and mods.
    – Morgan
    May 1, 2014 at 2:19
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If a user is deleted, their votes are also cancelled out. This happens in a similar situation to the other answer, when a user has been identified as a vandal.

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