I gotta say, I am grateful for the ability to downvote. I know it can be abused, and maybe there could be some safeguards put not place, but I feel that the market does a pretty good job as is of punishing actions detrimental to the platform.
I hate censorship as well, but feel that users should be abe to maintain their own comments sections as they please, etc. It is akin to me supporting a guy's right to scream about the necessity of this or that cause, but not supporting his right to do it into living room.
The folks I have flagged in the last week (I know you aren't criticizing me here, just saying) have basically tried to steal my "identity" and to scam me out of money deceitfully.
I have no problem seeing these users' accounts obliterated, especially as they just laugh about what they did, and I continue to receive threats from one of them.
There may be a better way. There could be some security "firms" (powerful accounts) put into place to render insurance against flag abuse as well. I think this would be a great idea.