Facebook's 6 New 'Reactions' Are Now Globally Available
The Angry reaction is the closest thing you’ll get to a dislike button. It’s one of the 6 new "Reactions" emoji that Facebook rolled out globally.
Until now these Reactions were available only in Ireland and Spain, because Facebook was not done testing them. Now that it is done testing them, they’re are available for everyone, everywhere, on desktop as well as mobile.
“We have been testing Reactions in a few markets since last year, and have received positive feedback so far. Today, we’re excited to offer it to everyone who uses Facebook around the world. We will continue learning and listening to feedback to make sure we have a set of reactions that will be useful for everyone. We hope you enjoy the new Reactions!” said Sammi Grug, Product Manager with Facebook.
How to use Facebook's 6 new Reactions
If you’re on a desktop computer, using Facebook in your web browser, all you have to do is place the mouse cursor over the Like button. A pop-up will show up and present the new Reactions: Like, Love, Haha, Wow, Sad and Angry. Select the reaction you want and you’re done.
If you’re on a mobile device, using the Facebook app, you have to tap and hold the Like button until the Reactions pop-up shows up. Then slide your finger to the reaction you want to use. The video embedded below shows how the 6 Reactions look like and explains how you can use them on a mobile.
Reactions work just like the Like button (for now)
When you like a post, Facebook assumes you want to see more of that type of post. Based on your likes, it will try to populate your News Feed with stories that matter to you. The 6 new Reactions work in the same way – at least for now. No matter what reaction you choose, Facebook will interpret it as a like. Sammi Kgrug explains:
“In the beginning, it won’t matter if someone likes, “wows” or “sads” a post — we will initially use any Reaction similar to a Like to infer that you want to see more of that type of content. Over time we hope to learn how the different Reactions should be weighted differently by News Feed to do a better job of showing everyone the stories they most want to see.”
Will we ever get a dislike button?
No matter how much you want it, no matter how much you ask for it, Facebook won’t give you a dislike button. Mark Zuckerberg made that very clear.
Back in September 2015, Zuckerberg hosted a townhall Q&A session at Facebook’s headquarters. During said session, the topic of having more options to the Like button came up. Zuckerberg confirmed that Facebook is working on something that will give you the ability to express empathy. That something is the new Reactions.
Facebook won’t give you a dislike button because it doesn’t want you to have a negative experience – that’s the official explanation. When you have like and dislike, people can vote up things they like and vote down things they do not. Post something that gets lots of dislikes and you will feel bad – and Facebook doesn’t want that.
In related news…
Facebook turned 12 this month. To celebrate and mark this joyous occasions, I presented 12 interesting and amazing facts about Facebook.
Until now these Reactions were available only in Ireland and Spain, because Facebook was not done testing them. Now that it is done testing them, they’re are available for everyone, everywhere, on desktop as well as mobile.
“We have been testing Reactions in a few markets since last year, and have received positive feedback so far. Today, we’re excited to offer it to everyone who uses Facebook around the world. We will continue learning and listening to feedback to make sure we have a set of reactions that will be useful for everyone. We hope you enjoy the new Reactions!” said Sammi Grug, Product Manager with Facebook.
How to use Facebook's 6 new Reactions
If you’re on a desktop computer, using Facebook in your web browser, all you have to do is place the mouse cursor over the Like button. A pop-up will show up and present the new Reactions: Like, Love, Haha, Wow, Sad and Angry. Select the reaction you want and you’re done.
If you’re on a mobile device, using the Facebook app, you have to tap and hold the Like button until the Reactions pop-up shows up. Then slide your finger to the reaction you want to use. The video embedded below shows how the 6 Reactions look like and explains how you can use them on a mobile.
Reactions work just like the Like button (for now)
When you like a post, Facebook assumes you want to see more of that type of post. Based on your likes, it will try to populate your News Feed with stories that matter to you. The 6 new Reactions work in the same way – at least for now. No matter what reaction you choose, Facebook will interpret it as a like. Sammi Kgrug explains:
“In the beginning, it won’t matter if someone likes, “wows” or “sads” a post — we will initially use any Reaction similar to a Like to infer that you want to see more of that type of content. Over time we hope to learn how the different Reactions should be weighted differently by News Feed to do a better job of showing everyone the stories they most want to see.”
Will we ever get a dislike button?
No matter how much you want it, no matter how much you ask for it, Facebook won’t give you a dislike button. Mark Zuckerberg made that very clear.
Back in September 2015, Zuckerberg hosted a townhall Q&A session at Facebook’s headquarters. During said session, the topic of having more options to the Like button came up. Zuckerberg confirmed that Facebook is working on something that will give you the ability to express empathy. That something is the new Reactions.
Facebook won’t give you a dislike button because it doesn’t want you to have a negative experience – that’s the official explanation. When you have like and dislike, people can vote up things they like and vote down things they do not. Post something that gets lots of dislikes and you will feel bad – and Facebook doesn’t want that.
In related news…
Facebook turned 12 this month. To celebrate and mark this joyous occasions, I presented 12 interesting and amazing facts about Facebook.
