I clap 50 almost every time. But it’s because I respect the effort and time it took. Exceptions are if I identify the article as AI authored. Zero for that. If it’s a read for read swap from a social and it’s an article topic that I’ve explicitly said I’m not interested in reading, then it’s 1.
Otherwise it’s full claps because someone had the ambition to create something and saw it through.
As for what people, clap or don’t, say or don’t about my work is absolutely fine. I put it out there, and they can do whatever they want with it.
And if I don’t like the article 1/3 of the way through, I don’t finish reading it.