I really like that we can now see our list of followers– it's interesting, fun, and perhaps gives more meaning to the whole concept of followers. But, and maybe I'm being oversensitive here, but showing the exact number of followers kind of concerns me.

A lot of users on the website are rather obsessed with the concept of “fame” or “popularity” and that often leads to hurt feelings. I'm afraid showing the number of followers would make that worse because it quantifies and publicizes fame; on the old website, you could have a feeling that another user is more well-known than you, but on the new website you can know it for sure. I don't tend to care too much about fame, but, admittedly, my first reaction to seeing my number of followers was to visit other users' pages to check out theirs. Of course, both online and offline, some people are always going to be more popular than others, but I think showing the number of followers might put more emphasis on fame than might be healthy.

Also, this kind of reminds me of the whole problem on the forums that resulted in not showing exact post counts. I'm worried that people will start following and begging for followers for the wrong reasons– to increase their follower counts instead of to make friends/see cool projects/learn new things/etc.

I think that showing the list of followers but not showing follower count might help. Of course, the follower count information would still be accessible by counting or something, but not quite so easily. Another solution might be to hide follower list and/or follower count everyone except the account owner.

Is anyone else concerned by this?

I agree with this. I remember there was actually a thread in the Advanced Topics where someone figured out how to find their friend count. It became a competition within the first page.

I think it could be like a motivation too though. Like people could say in the project notes. “Please follow me if you like this project!”

After all, showing number of love its never caused a problem

jji7skyline
I think it could be like a motivation too though. Like people could say in the project notes. “Please follow me if you like this project!”After all, showing number of love its never caused a problem

But is it good motivation? Or a game?

I agree, that's so true, what you say! I liked the “friend-system” more!

I think that we should definitely keep the followers and following list there for everybody - I think it'd be handy.

However I do see your concern. I'm not convinced it'd cause a problem yet, but it's certainly a possibility.

How about just the list, not the number?

Hardmath123
How about just the list, not the number?

interesting idea, so the number of followers wouldn't be obvious… I think this would be a compromise

LiFaytheGoblin

Hardmath123
How about just the list, not the number?

interesting idea, so the number of followers wouldn't be obvious… I think this would be a compromise

I think this might work better as well. Thanks for raising this, SCMB1!
I'll mention it to others in the design meeting.

Cool! I like that compromise as well.

i agree with the original post.

i am also familiar with youtube; showing the amount of followers is going to give rise to “sub4sub” which is basically someone subscribing (following) someone in exchange for that person following them. also there will be people who cheat and make fake accounts to artificially increase their followers count. it will become the sole indicator of popularity.

i disagree with the idea of “following” because it seems to go against scratch's friendship thing; i mean that on the old site, people “friend” people who are their friends. it shouldn't be a competition to see who gets more. friendship over fame.

Wes64 wrote:

i disagree with the idea of “following” because it seems to go against scratch's friendship thing; i mean that on the old site, people “friend” people who are their friends. it shouldn't be a competition to see who gets more. friendship over fame.

Well, I do agree with following. My view is that you follow someone if you like their content so you can see what their newest content is. I do think that there are people that are obsessed with fame (*cough*Kaj*cough*) but that is not a majority (at least I hope so). I think we should keep the follow system.

no support

Wes64 wrote:

i agree with the original post.

i am also familiar with youtube; showing the amount of followers is going to give rise to “sub4sub” which is basically someone subscribing (following) someone in exchange for that person following them. also there will be people who cheat and make fake accounts to artificially increase their followers count. it will become the sole indicator of popularity.

i disagree with the idea of “following” because it seems to go against scratch's friendship thing; i mean that on the old site, people “friend” people who are their friends. it shouldn't be a competition to see who gets more. friendship over fame.

I agree with not showing the number of followers. However, if you follow someone, you normally want to receive updates about what they do. In 1.4, friendship wasn't 2-way, which friends should be.

I like it because even though I'm not entirely interested in fame, I still like to see how many followers I have. What if it only displayed your own follower count?

mathfreak231 wrote:

I like it because even though I'm not entirely interested in fame, I still like to see how many followers I have. What if it only displayed your own follower count?

Yeah, good point (like you can see your WOs on Roblox, but nobody else can?)

I am sorry but knowing the number of folloers I have makes me feel encouraged you have to earn followers

Blaze349 wrote:

I am sorry but knowing the number of folloers I have makes me feel encouraged you have to earn followers

But Scratch isn't about fame.

Blaze349 wrote:

you have to earn followers

*facepalm*

firedrake969_test wrote:

Blaze349 wrote:

I am sorry but knowing the number of folloers I have makes me feel encouraged you have to earn followers

But Scratch isn't about fame.

thats not it. people follow me because they like my projects so that make me know people like my projects.