The problem with the old Rep System was that people could leave you nasty comments anonymously, which was running rampant. Some were also turning it into a type of video game in which there was a competition to see who could get the most "points" and then use their high "scores" as "clout" around the system. Both old and new users were mistakenly believing that those with the most Rep Points were somehow more important, had more authority, or were more correct in what they would say just because of their Rep Number.
As far as negative anonymous comments, I feel blessed in that I only got a few. But I also started to handle it by writing threads and making their comments public ("To the Person Who Just Said... In My Rep Comments.") I didn't ask to know who it was. But the mod did say that the person apparently had been there a long time, and had no other activity other than to leave something in my comments that basically said, "Shut up and go away" without thinking they would be discovered. And some people were being downright bullied by this system.
One of the blessings I've experienced on this site is that it's helped me to deal with negative feedback a bit better. Not perfectly, mind you, lol, but I've gotten better at asking God whose, and which, comments to take seriously, because we can't control anyone else's behavior. I even had a real-life job performance review in which my boss told me that I had scored very high on the reception of negative feedback (well, it was more like, I just learned to hold back, lol,) and I knew it had a lot to do with being on this site.
I'm truly sorry to those who experience having the "X" used against them as a weapon.
Back when we had the old system, I can admit to wanting to engage the anonymous feature as well. I'm sure I probably did years ago, as well as the occasional Red X in the new system. (Now days I try to limit it to joking with friends, such as if I put a Red X on one of Lynx's posts.)
But I know one thing God has convicted me of for a while is that He doesn't want me to 1. Say something to someone if I'm not willing to leave my name (in ALL situations, not just CC,) and 2. there have been times I've wanted to use the Red X, but for whatever reason, I can almost feel the Holy Spirit shaking his finger at me.
I don't always listen, of course.
But I also know that all I can do is keep trying to walk in the way that God is convicting me, and try my best not to worry about what others may -- or may not -- feel convicted of, or obey.