Opinion (even though unasked for): I don't "do" 'social media', but I have seen a few tech sites that have "thumbsup/down" buttons. At the tech site I help admin, we have never enabled that, even on the "community" (non-tech) forums. Never understood the need to 'smite'/'diss'/'mock'/'criticize'/'denigrate'/etc. a poster, even in a private message.
After all, most forums have a "Report to Admin" link on every page.
As for a word of praise or thanks, I think they should be direct, public and personal from the thankor(sp?)! Certainly worth a minute setting up a automatic text insertion shortcut in Typinator or TextExpander...
I
was once fired from my admin job, but later 're-hired'.
Of course, these settings are totally up to the board owner. Perhaps he has been asked to moderate more than he thinks he should have to. I also assume that the board owner (Admin) has the capability to remove temporarily or permanently, any member who ignores the few simple rules of etiquette of this forum.
Seeing a few 'smites' may be enough to correct the problem before that becomes necessary.
I might be nice to have a couple of animated icons instead of the rather plain text buttons, however. Maybe a pair of clapping hands and one with a hammer banging something...