There are two sides to this. I am actually against it, but I'll talk about both sides and their reasonings. Follow for follow can help you make new friendships are more. It can be positive in some way, but this is why I think it should be removed.

Why Follow For Follow Should Be Removed
1. Insane spamming on profiles, projects, studios, and more.
2. Removes the entire point of a follow
3. Makes people think that scratch is all about fame, not programming
4. Used for bragging

Overall
Yes, both sides have valid points, but overall I think that there is more reasoning to removing it. The scratch team already highly discourages follow for follows, but it still continues because no one is doing anything to stop it. Now lets go and talk about why people follow each other.

Why People Follow Each Other
People follow each other because either, they want the scratcher to know that they enjoy their work and they are interested in what the scratcher is doing (Appears on home page).

Why It Should Be Removed
It could be a way to show that you care about someone, but it doesn't feel like that when you're just clicking buttons to feel famous. Now, people can do whatever they want unless it's not negatively effecting someone else. Follow for follow again makes flame wars where people talk back and forth and get into arguments where people are going insane. I was searching up follow for follow projects and this one person threatened to kill someone else. If the scratch team simply removed follow for follows and sent out warnings to anyone they could find that did it it would remove this aspect to scratch that people dislike, the aspect where people feel like popularity is important than anything else, the one that has ruined the community.

Support (1/4) (25%)
- arman516
Semi-Support (1/4) (25%)
- DaSpudLord
No Support (1/4) (50%)
- VoltageGames
- Econinja

Feel free to share you ideas in the comments! Please remember to say if you support, semi-support, or don't support this change so I can change the following!

EDIT
This is how bans work, I've been banned before (Twice to be exact) The scratch team sends you a warning to make you stop what you are doing, sometimes they send you 5 warnings for example if you do not change your opinion on the situation, then they ban you. You don't just get banned right away unless you did something that was obviously not allowed.

Following a person means whatever the person doing the following wants it to mean. As long as “follow for follow” does not inadvertently cause actual issues, or else legitimately detracts from the design goals of the Scratch website (please cite specific instances if you believe it does), it seems the Scratch Team's current stance is appropriate :-)

Paddle2See wrote:

However, I don't think we will be acting on your suggestion - because it's not enforceable (how would you stop people from asking for f4f?) and it's essentially harmless (if you don't want to participate in f4f, just politely decline). Tell them that you prefer to follow based on things you find interesting.

Source
===
Even though I do hate F4F, people do have a right to do Follow 4 Follow. Yes, it's a fame counter, but it was based of friends in 1.x.
[sarcasticness]Let's remove loving even though that was there from the start![/sarcasticness]

No support - people have a right

You can't prove anyone was F4Fing, when they can remove evidence (comments).
and what if someone just happens to follow someone after they follow them? will they be persecuted as F4Fing?
There's no harm in F4F, no matter how annoying it is.

-Flames- wrote:

Why Follow For Follow Should Be Removed
1. Insane spamming on profiles, projects, studios, and more.
2. Removes the entire point of a follow
3. Makes people think that scratch is all about fame, not programming
4. Used for bragging

1. can't argue with that, but people will always spam other things.
2. why does it matter to you why someone follows another person? You jelly someone has more followers than you but didn't earn them through quality projects? :^)
3. I hate the ‘scratch is not about fame’ card. If someone wants to try and get ‘famous’ on an 8 year old's site, that's their problem. Also, name one person who got famous through F4F.
4. this will happen with any number, no exceptions.

tl;dr big fat no support

VoltageGames wrote:

You can't prove anyone was F4Fing, when they can remove evidence (comments).
and what if someone just happens to follow someone after they follow them? will they be persecuted as F4Fing?
There's no harm in F4F, no matter how annoying it is.

-Flames- wrote:

Why Follow For Follow Should Be Removed
1. Insane spamming on profiles, projects, studios, and more.
2. Removes the entire point of a follow
3. Makes people think that scratch is all about fame, not programming
4. Used for bragging

1. can't argue with that, but people will always spam other things.
2. why does it matter to you why someone follows another person? You jelly someone has more followers than you but didn't earn them through quality projects? :^)
3. I hate the ‘scratch is not about fame’ card. If someone wants to try and get ‘famous’ on an 8 year old's site, that's their problem. Also, name one person who got famous through F4F.
4. this will happen with any number, no exceptions.

tl;dr big fat no support

1. Cant argue with that but that will stop a bit of spamming. They have profiles that are 90% covered with “F4F”.
2. https://scratch.mit.edu/users/FOLLOWING-YOU/followers/ ?
3. Someone can become famous if they want to, can't argue with that but it could make other people feel bad if they just started scratch and don't have any followers.

Econinja wrote:

Paddle2See wrote:

However, I don't think we will be acting on your suggestion - because it's not enforceable (how would you stop people from asking for f4f?) and it's essentially harmless (if you don't want to participate in f4f, just politely decline). Tell them that you prefer to follow based on things you find interesting.

Source
===
Even though I do hate F4F, people do have a right to do Follow 4 Follow. Yes, it's a fame counter, but it was based of friends in 1.x.
[sarcasticness]Let's remove loving even though that was there from the start![/sarcasticness]

No support - people have a right

Can't argue with that but many famous scratchers have left scratch because of this issue. F4F is a huge reason why people leave scratch. AE studios are also an issue, but why not start now and work ourselves closer to removing this entire issue as a whole.

bobbybee wrote:

Following a person means whatever the person doing the following wants it to mean. As long as “follow for follow” does not inadvertently cause actual issues, or else legitimately detracts from the design goals of the Scratch website (please cite specific instances if you believe it does), it seems the Scratch Team's current stance is appropriate :-)

There is not exactly a way to prove that unless you had alternate universes… But anyway, if you were always thinking about F4Fs and getting more popular do you think you will even try to make a desent project if your goal is to get popular because F4F was allowed? It has negatively effected scratch, please threatning to kill each other because of people “asking for f4fs without projects”.

I basically agree with bobbybee here.

Following is not always a symbol of “I like what you do”, sometimes it's a symbol of “hey, let's be friends” or “I like your personality”. Lots of people don't take Scratch too seriously and just see it as a place to relax and make friends. I see nothing wrong with having a little fun.

-Flames- wrote:

bobbybee wrote:

Following a person means whatever the person doing the following wants it to mean. As long as “follow for follow” does not inadvertently cause actual issues, or else legitimately detracts from the design goals of the Scratch website (please cite specific instances if you believe it does), it seems the Scratch Team's current stance is appropriate :-)

There is not exactly a way to prove that unless you had alternate universes…

Huh?

But anyway, if you were always thinking about F4Fs and getting more popular do you think you will even try to make a desent project if your goal is to get popular because F4F was allowed?

Please try to construct your sentences better and use proper grammar. She said that following doesn't always mean getting attention. Sometimes it just means appreciation for being nice, for instance.

It has negatively effected scratch, please threatning to kill each other because of people “asking for f4fs without projects”.

If you see this, you should report whoever says it. The ST will contact their parents and get it sorted out.

I don't see any of these as reasons to remove a silly game some users play…

ChocolatePi wrote:

-Flames- wrote:

bobbybee wrote:

Following a person means whatever the person doing the following wants it to mean. As long as “follow for follow” does not inadvertently cause actual issues, or else legitimately detracts from the design goals of the Scratch website (please cite specific instances if you believe it does), it seems the Scratch Team's current stance is appropriate :-)

There is not exactly a way to prove that unless you had alternate universes…

Huh?

But anyway, if you were always thinking about F4Fs and getting more popular do you think you will even try to make a desent project if your goal is to get popular because F4F was allowed?

Please try to construct your sentences better and use proper grammar. She said that following doesn't always mean getting attention. Sometimes it just means appreciation for being nice, for instance.

It has negatively effected scratch, please threatning to kill each other because of people “asking for f4fs without projects”.

If you see this, you should report whoever says it. The ST will contact their parents and get it sorted out.

I don't see any of these as reasons to remove a silly game some users play…

Sorry for my grammar mistakes, I was in a hurry. I have already reported the comment, but because F4F has existed people have debated about removing it or keeping it. Stop people take it a step farther and treaten people. Plus, I don't think people just go around following people because they think it's “nice”. Let's say this user only does F4F on scratch and nothing else. Then this new scratcher works extremely hard and makes decent projects for people to view, then they are finally followed… By a F4Fer, they might check their profile and realize what had happened, which could make them extremely upset and want to quit scratch.

Semi-support as per all of the reasons you and others have listed.

U^ｪ^U::motion//This is Blocky. He lives in my signature. He is a trained attack block. He protects my siggy from kumquats.

F4Fs are:
- ways to make people happy
- good ways to practice ignoring annoying things
However, too many follows and each follow starts becoming insignificant and lost in the pile of followers. A follow for follow can make a Scratcher without any followers have a better day.

Well me and my cousins play this website together, Does that count. I think that it should be banned, but if you have a friend or some family playing they should be able to follow you, does that count?

DewottGames wrote:

Well me and my cousins play this website together, Does that count. I think that it should be banned, but if you have a friend or some family playing they should be able to follow you, does that count?

There are no restrictions on who can follow who(m?)

-Flames- wrote:

Can't argue with that but many famous scratchers have left scratch because of this issue. F4F is a huge reason why people leave scratch. AE studios are also an issue, but why not start now and work ourselves closer to removing this entire issue as a whole.

1) ..it's their choice? Anyways, if they left because of that, that's fine. Why? It was their choice, not the ST's.
2) Polite F4F is allowed. Why remove it?
3) It's a kind gesture to follow a person back.
4)

Econinja wrote:

Paddle2See wrote:

However, I don't think we will be acting on your suggestion - because it's not enforceable (how would you stop people from asking for f4f?) and it's essentially harmless (if you don't want to participate in f4f, just politely decline). Tell them that you prefer to follow based on things you find interesting.

Source

Just obey the ST please. Just please.
5) So I'm not allowed to F4F my IRL friends? Well, that's shocking.

Ugh… there's a duplicate somewhere…

Support but I don't really see how it could be banned we could support it but i don't think we could make it a ban

Duplicate

I agree, the whole F4F is so annoying, I would definite like to see these people punished, though I don't think they should be banned the first time. This seems to harsh for a first punishment. I would recommend a warning, then temporary ban, THEN a permanent ban.

-SirGregg

Oh, and not to mention, if F4F was discouraged (don't ban it, that just causes hate), it would still cause hate because many people who just want to annoy people (i.e. the ones who stereotype 8-year-olds) could now use the Scratch Team as evidence to say no to the ones who ask for f4f and these haters would just win.

I can't really think of a better word for “hate,” but in this case “hate” would mean depression and feeling like you are being bullied.

Just ignore them; it's essential for life.

-Flames- wrote:

ChocolatePi wrote:

-Flames- wrote:

bobbybee wrote:

Following a person means whatever the person doing the following wants it to mean. As long as “follow for follow” does not inadvertently cause actual issues, or else legitimately detracts from the design goals of the Scratch website (please cite specific instances if you believe it does), it seems the Scratch Team's current stance is appropriate :-)

There is not exactly a way to prove that unless you had alternate universes…

Huh?

But anyway, if you were always thinking about F4Fs and getting more popular do you think you will even try to make a desent project if your goal is to get popular because F4F was allowed?

Please try to construct your sentences better and use proper grammar. She said that following doesn't always mean getting attention. Sometimes it just means appreciation for being nice, for instance.

It has negatively effected scratch, please threatning to kill each other because of people “asking for f4fs without projects”.

If you see this, you should report whoever says it. The ST will contact their parents and get it sorted out.

I don't see any of these as reasons to remove a silly game some users play…

Sorry for my grammar mistakes, I was in a hurry. I have already reported the comment, but because F4F has existed people have debated about removing it or keeping it. Stop people take it a step farther and treaten people. Plus, I don't think people just go around following people because they think it's “nice”. Let's say this user only does F4F on scratch and nothing else. Then this new scratcher works extremely hard and makes decent projects for people to view, then they are finally followed… By a F4Fer, they might check their profile and realize what had happened, which could make them extremely upset and want to quit scratch.

If you work extremely hard and make good projects, you won't mind if you're being followed by a “F4Fer”.

It's just them trying to have fun.

People threatening others should never be a reason to remove a feature from the site. That's a problem with the users individually, not with the system.

You're looking at this issue with a narrow perspective of “I want followers I'm not popular help me”. That's not what these people view it as. Most people who follow for follow do it because they either want to make friends or be connected with more people.

It shouldn't matter if someone who “follow for follow”s people follows you. Just ignore it and move on