Facebook unveils new Reactions feature, introduces alternative options to likes

To use these options users need to hold down on the like button that brings the seven round icons, which can then be tapped to be selected.

The feature is an extension of the “dislike” button that founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the social media site was developing last month during a Q&A at the Facebook headquarters. Had the users given a choice to reveal as to what they would expect from Facebook, a dislike button would top the list.

For now, Facebook is testing Reactions in Ireland and Spain, where users often have large worldwide friend networks according to Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s director of product.

Facebook’s new alternatives to it’s traditional “like” button. The little emoji expressing various possible reactions to a post will appear wherever you used to see the Like button before.

“We studied which comments and reactions are most commonly and universally expressed across Facebook, then worked to design an experience around them that was elegant and fun”, Cox explained Thursday.

Zuckerberg said for a long time that the feature wouldn’t be integrated in the “Dislike” button that many people had asked for, and that users wanted so much that it has spawned its own scams.

Facebook is looking forward to start out the test, and citizens of Ireland and Spain will be the first ones to try it out.

The company plans to take user feedback and make improvements before possibly rolling them out in the U.S. “The thing that I think is very valuable is that there are more sentiments that people want to express”, said Zuckerberg.

As you can see there is a new Facebook like button, but that’s not all you will see when you react to a Facebook post. However, this won’t be an all-out Dislike button, instead it’ll come as more of a quick-fire sticker panel. You’ll be able to express these reactions by long pressing or hovering over the Like button.