Disable all badge notifications as a user

Contribute Feature
,

AI-generated summary

In a discussion titled ‘Disable all badge notifications as a user,’ Canapin proposes a feature allowing users to turn off all badge-related notifications to reduce digital overload and notification fatigue. They note that while other notifications are acceptable, badge alerts — especially on Meta — are often irrelevant, require no action, and disrupt focus. Canapin prefers peace over ego-pleasing metrics like post likes. JammyDodger supports the idea, suggesting a flexible UI similar to the ‘mute users’ feature — letting users mute all badges or select specific ones. Mkoll agrees, adding that not everything needs to be gamified. The thread references related topics on muting specific badges or link/share badges, but this one focuses on a global opt-out for all badge notifications, aiming to improve user comfort and reduce digital clutter.

1

There are two very similar Contribute > Feature topics:
Option to mute notifications for certain badges? (certain badges)
Deactivate notifications for link and share badges (link and share badges)

I create a new one because it’s about the whole badges notifications deactivation.

We now live in an ultra-connected world with activity on dozens of platforms, and are (by default) flooded by notifications. Computers, phones, tablets, watches, popups, sounds, vibrations, emails, blinking icons…
For my peace of mind, I have disabled most of my daily notifications a long time ago. I have no OS toast notifications, browser notifications, no audio or vibration notifications on my phone (except for calls), no blinks anywhere, etc. On meta and some other sites, I also don’t have email notifications.

To alleviate this notification fatigue a bit more and avoid feeling solicited more than I should, I’d appreciate the ability to disable all badge notifications as a user.

Other notifications are fine. But badges, at least on meta, I mostly don’t care about them. The notifications draw my attention and require me to clear them.
The information badges bring to me is not useful. It doesn’t ask for any input from me or interaction with the community. It might please my ego to know that my post was liked by 10 members, but if I had to choose between knowing this information and having a notification, or not knowing this information and be exempted of one more notification today, I’d choose the latter :smile:

This feature would make my online life a little bit more comfortable.

6 Likes
2

I think there are a few more voices arguing for similar in Badges and general chattiness of Discourse as well. :raising_hands:

Personally I’m in favour of allowing users to decide this, though I think a box like the ‘mute users’ one would be nice where you could select ‘all’ for a nuclear silencing, but also add individual ones if that’s all you wanted to suppress.

3 Likes
3

Hear, hear!

Not everything has to gamified.

1 Like