Why Disliking Will Be the Next Big Trend on Facebook
Facebook is reportedly trying out a new feature with some users. In a world where most users on social media react to stories via emojis, this new feature would give a somewhat broader range of reactions for users to choose…
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[cnxvideo id=”506829″ placement=”ros”]Known for its iconic “thumbs up” or “Like” emoji, Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) is reportedly trying out a new feature with some users. In a world where most users on social media react to stories via emojis, this new feature would give a somewhat broader range of reactions for users to choose from. Not to mention, many users have been asking for this feature for years. Facebook is introducing the “Dislike” button among other emojis to some of its Messenger users, according to Techcrunch.
A similar feature was seen roughly a year ago, when Facebook introduced Reactions, a range of emojis that users could pick from when reacting to a post. Reactions has proven incredibly popular among users, with over 300 billion sent so far.
Also Reactions helps Facebook more efficiently determine and track how interesting a post is and how prominently to display it in the news feed, as opposed to just using Likes as it had done previously.
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Although what Facebook is testing with the Dislike button is only being looked at on the Messenger App at the moment, there is a broader application across the platform.
According to Techcrunch:
Notably, the Messenger reaction list differs from the News Feed one because of the addition of much-requested and always-denied Dislike button. Though it’s known as Facebook’s most asked for feature, the company didn’t want to inject too much negativity into the feed so it never built one. Instead, it built Reactions so people could share more nuanced emotions quickly, but left disliking for the comments.
Facebook sees it as more a “no” button, the company tells me. It says people often use Messenger for planning and coordination, and it’s experimenting to see if a reactions are helpful for quick logistics and voting. Thats why it’s offering a Yes/No option, even though people will naturally see it as a Dislike button too.
Shares of Facebook closed Friday at $137.13, with a consensus analyst price target of $159.00 and a 52-week trading range of $104.40 to $137.82. The stock was relatively flat early on Monday.
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Chris Lange is a financial and geopolitical writer with more than a decade of experience covering a myriad of topics. He has published thousands of articles for 24/7 Wall St., with past coverage focused heavily on stocks, IPOs, healthcare, defense, global affairs, and technology.
His work has been quoted, or referenced by a number of outlets including Business Insider, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, MSN, The Motley Fool, and many other publications. A graduate of Southwestern University, he studied business with a focus on investments and has previous experience in banking and startups.
When not reading or writing the news, he is following his passion for Lacrosse, playing chess, or building solar projects with his dad.
