I think down votes have their place but I have also seen them abused. I have seen where a whale got an attitude at someone and gave some huge down votes that takes all the earnings away on every post they make. I have also seen hive watchers abuse their power, I get that you should never plagerize but to continue down votes on every post made weather there are infractions or not I don't think is fair.

I personally almost never down vote posts, if it's something I don't like I just move on. I do the same thing on social media, if I see something I don't like a just keep moving on to the next post.

Everyone should always be posting original content and quoting with credit given on anything that is copied. If you are copying and not giving full credit then by all means you deserve to get down voted, especially if you do it multiple times. You do get a warning from hive watchers before they black list you but once black listed good luck getting off of it.