The discussion revolves around disabling likes/reactions for a specific user’s posts. fuse wants to send a subtle message to a problematic poster by preventing reactions to their posts, rather than silencing or suspending them.
@pfaffman suggests hiding the like button for a specific group using CSS, while Lilly provides the code to implement this solution. However, JammyDodger notes that this method only hides the button and doesn’t disable likes/reactions, which can be sidestepped using the browser console or safe mode. Lilly agrees and suggests disabling safe mode for non-admins, but points out that the console is still a workaround.
@JammyDodger and @pfaffman realize that the goal is to prevent others from reacting to a specific user’s posts. Canapin provides the CSS code to hide reactions on a specific user’s posts.
Fuse explains that the goal is to “don’t feed the troll” by denying the user the dopamine of likes/reactions, hoping to change their behavior. The user in question is problematic when responding to others, but contributes positively when initiating topics or posting.
I saw the note on how to disable likes site wise, and that is not my goal.
I have a singular problematic poster (and yes there are more direct ways to deal with the real issue) that I would like to be able to send a more subtle message than silencing/suspending.
The idea occurred to me if I could pause / prevent reactions to this person’s posts is one way to approach this.
Any thoughts or ideas appreciated.
Thank you!
I think the solution is the add the user to a group and use CSS to hide the like button from that group.
There’s an example there to make something red. You’d do the same to make the like button hidden.
Once you install that component that @pfaffman suggested and add the user, you can do this
.group-NAME {
.widget-button.btn-flat.toggle-like.like.no-text.btn-icon,
.widget-button.btn-flat.toggle-like.has-like.fade-out.no-text.btn-icon,
.widget-button.btn-flat.button-count.like-count.highlight-action.regular-likes.btn-text,
.widget-button.btn-flat.button-count.like-count.highlight-action.my-likes.btn-icon-text {
display: none;
}
}
Just to note, hiding them using CSS wouldn’t disable Likes/Reactions, and could be sidestepped in the browser console or by using safe mode (may be relevant depending on how troublesome the user in question felt that day 
)
However, I think the question is how to disable other people from being able to Like/React to a specific user’s posts:
I would add that it is possible to disable safe mode for non-admins. But console still exists. 
ah yes, that is a different problem altogether 
would be nice if there was a minimum trust level setting for using reactions.
Oops. I didn’t read carefully enough. A similar solution would be to hide that person’s posts from everyone. That and the pros and cons has been discussed a few times.
Thanks all.
The goal is really “don’t feed the troll” as the individual in question loves to take the counterpoint in discussions, be contentious, and in general hasn’t found an internet hill they are unwilling to die on.
The tough part is generally speaking they contribute positively when they initiate a topic or post. The challenge is how they choose to respond to others.
My rationale is if I can deny the dopamine of likes/reactions maybe the behaviour changes.
The caveats of CSS solutions have been mentioned before, but here’s the CSS to hide reactions on a specific user’s posts:
article[data-user-id="12345"] .discourse-reactions-picker {
display: none;
}
Where 12345 is the user’s ID.