Facebook users have long been clamouring for a 'Dislike' button but the idea was rejected as it was viewed as something that would promote too much negativity. Instead, the social media giant has come with up a rather different solution for the very one-dimensional 'Like' button.
Facebook recently rolled out Reaction buttons for users around the world after having tested out the feature for nearly a year in Ireland and Spain. So, now, while you can still click 'Like' as you have done until now for even posts that left you cold (because you're a nice person!), you have the choice of picking from five new nuances as well--'Love', 'Haha', 'Wow', 'Sad' and 'Angry'. A sixth button that didn't make the cut was 'Yay', harmless and jubilant as it was. Let me react to that with a click of the Sad reaction button.
Now you can Like articles, or Love your friend's new dress, fulfill your obligations to the boss with a Haha for her jokes or react with a Sad emoji when someone's dog is missing, although I really hope no dog ever goes missing, or show that you are really furious at that unreasonable political stand with the Angry button.
Note, that you can offer these nuanced reactions only to posts and not to comments added by others.
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Users can dig out old posts and react to them as well. Using random reactions on something that was said and done a long time ago does sound like fun if you have that sort of time to spare.
But, there's a flipside.
More the buttons, more the confusion. Earlier, you could just check out which of your friends liked your post or profile picture. (Trust me, only those are your true friends, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.) Now, it is not so easy. People will react differently to a post--some will like it, some will love it, others might be saddened by it while others yet may find themselves channelling their inner Hulk.
It gets messy.
It is tedious to go though the reactions to see who reacted how. You will also get a vague notification saying "Person A has reacted to your post", instead of the specifics. So the next time you share a cat picture and your friend reacts to it, you will not know whether they just liked it or had an allergic reaction to it.
Either way, the new buttons are here to stay, and the only thing complicated on Facebook won't just be your relationship status.
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Facebook recently rolled out Reaction buttons for users around the world after having tested out the feature for nearly a year in Ireland and Spain. So, now, while you can still click 'Like' as you have done until now for even posts that left you cold (because you're a nice person!), you have the choice of picking from five new nuances as well--'Love', 'Haha', 'Wow', 'Sad' and 'Angry'. A sixth button that didn't make the cut was 'Yay', harmless and jubilant as it was. Let me react to that with a click of the Sad reaction button.
It is tedious to go though the reactions to see who reacted how.
Now you can Like articles, or Love your friend's new dress, fulfill your obligations to the boss with a Haha for her jokes or react with a Sad emoji when someone's dog is missing, although I really hope no dog ever goes missing, or show that you are really furious at that unreasonable political stand with the Angry button.
Note, that you can offer these nuanced reactions only to posts and not to comments added by others.
Users can dig out old posts and react to them as well. Using random reactions on something that was said and done a long time ago does sound like fun if you have that sort of time to spare.
But, there's a flipside.
More the buttons, more the confusion. Earlier, you could just check out which of your friends liked your post or profile picture. (Trust me, only those are your true friends, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.) Now, it is not so easy. People will react differently to a post--some will like it, some will love it, others might be saddened by it while others yet may find themselves channelling their inner Hulk.
It gets messy.
It is tedious to go though the reactions to see who reacted how. You will also get a vague notification saying "Person A has reacted to your post", instead of the specifics. So the next time you share a cat picture and your friend reacts to it, you will not know whether they just liked it or had an allergic reaction to it.
Either way, the new buttons are here to stay, and the only thing complicated on Facebook won't just be your relationship status.
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