Facebook Likes To Receive Emotional, Emoji-Like Overhaul With ‘Reactions’
One thing Facebook users have always struggled with is whether or not it's appropriate to "Like" a post when someone announces a death in the family or any other tragic incident, such as a job loss or motorcycle accident. Clicking or tapping that little thumbs-up icon just doesn't feel right in such situations, so Facebook's going to give you more options.
Mark Zuckerberg and the gang have begun testing half a dozen new emoji that sit alongside the original thumbs-up option. They include a heart for "Love," a laughing face for "Haha," a smiling face for "Yah," a surprised expression for "Wow," a face with a teardrop for "Sad," and a reddened scowl expression for "Angry."
Facebook told TechCrunch that the first tests will take place in just two markets, Spain and Ireland. After seeing how things go, the company will then decide if it needs to make any changes or if it even wants to roll them out on a mass scale.
Just last month, Zuckerberg hinted that a Dislike button was imminent. However, the introduction of so-called "Reactions" appears to be a compromise between the oft-requested Dislike button and giving users a way to more appropriately express their emotions.
"People have asked about the Dislike button for many years, and probably hundreds of people have asked about this, and today is a special day because today is the day that I actually get to say we are working on it, and are very close to shipping a test of it," Zuckerberg stated during a Q&A session in September.
If Reactions become a universal feature of Facebook, it'd be hard to imagine a Dislike button, given Zuckerberg's reservations about the potential for abuse.
Mark Zuckerberg and the gang have begun testing half a dozen new emoji that sit alongside the original thumbs-up option. They include a heart for "Love," a laughing face for "Haha," a smiling face for "Yah," a surprised expression for "Wow," a face with a teardrop for "Sad," and a reddened scowl expression for "Angry."
Facebook told TechCrunch that the first tests will take place in just two markets, Spain and Ireland. After seeing how things go, the company will then decide if it needs to make any changes or if it even wants to roll them out on a mass scale.
Just last month, Zuckerberg hinted that a Dislike button was imminent. However, the introduction of so-called "Reactions" appears to be a compromise between the oft-requested Dislike button and giving users a way to more appropriately express their emotions.
Facebook’s answer to the “Dislike” button called “Reactions” is smart. 7 is better than 1. http://t.co/bdnEFF0zNl pic.twitter.com/OC4guAlDwl
— Geoffrey Fowler (@geoffreyfowler) October 8, 2015"People have asked about the Dislike button for many years, and probably hundreds of people have asked about this, and today is a special day because today is the day that I actually get to say we are working on it, and are very close to shipping a test of it," Zuckerberg stated during a Q&A session in September.
If Reactions become a universal feature of Facebook, it'd be hard to imagine a Dislike button, given Zuckerberg's reservations about the potential for abuse.
