Last time I tried to make a new google account, I could not without a phone number. My original account created many years ago does not have 2FA because of the phone number requirement.
Positives of downvoting - I get it, it filters out the non-sense. Negatives of downvoting - Leads to herd and mob mentality - "Oh this is downvoted, I must also think this is bad since others thought so as well. Plunk, another downvote! Take that!"
Especially right now when we have intense polarization and people are pulled away from centrist, ideological and sound perspectives into narratives, biases and prejudices.
I've raised this before, but IMO - Downvoting does more harm than good in the long term. Short term benefits are that we get rid of trolls, rude people and actually false information.