Last fall, we learned that Facebook was preparing to give users “Reactions”, a new way beyond the like button to express what you feel about a post. (Of course, one could argue that is what comments are for.) It can also, of course, provide Facebook with more nuanced data about what you actually mean when you “like” a post – valuable information for its ever-advancing algorithms.
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Facebook announced today that the replacement for the old Like button, known as Reactions, are now rolling out globally. The buttons appear on desktops when users hover over the “Like” button.
“That was one of the bigger surprises”, said Krug.
To call it like it really is, we’re basically dealing with emoji. For more than a year we have been conducting worldwide research including focus groups and surveys to determine what types of reactions people would want to use most.
Missing from this set of responses is a “dislike” button – an option CEO Mark Zuckerberg first hinted at in September. News Feed is the central way we can get updates about our friends, family and anything else that matters most to us, and the central place to have conversations with the people you care about.
At worst, some users could find the new choices confusing or unhelpful.
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Mobile users will have to upload to the most recent version of Facebook on Android or iOS as the new feature rolls out over the next few days.
