In recent years people started using the downvote button on comments wrong.

They now use it to say "No" to a question, or "You are wrong" to a statement. But that implied message is never received unless the commenter decides to check out that comment again, which could be never.

The only meaningful effect is that the comment will end up as hidden. Isn't it obvious that upvotes and downvotes on comments are supposed to be for the community to moderate itself? How is posting a question, to which the answer happens to be no, essentially worthy of a censor?

If you want to say "no", then click the fucking reply button and say it. Stop pushing people's comments under the rug without them ever knowing about anything. They asked a question, so give them the answer. They made a factually incorrect statement, so correct them.

Giving a downvote doesn't mean "No" or "I don't agree", it means "This comment is garbage and belongs in the trash."