Facebook Offers “Reactions” Feature With 5 Options Next To ‘Like’ Button

Facebook calls the new feature “Reactions”. It has been testing them for some time in some markets but has just pushed them out to users throughout the world. The Wall Street Journal reported in November that Facebook users are posting less on the social network, but are more likely to “like” posts.

“We know it’s a big change”, said Facebook product manager Sammi Krug in an announcement today.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said in September that the “dislike” button was not coming “because we don’t want to turn Facebook into a forum where people are voting up or down on people’s posts”. You can get breakdowns for each reaction – the total and specific people. Hovering over the Like button on desktop will see them appear, while pressing and holding on the Like button on mobile brings up the options. From now on, you’ll be allowed to respond to posts with reactions other than the ubiquitous thumbs up emoji that means “like”.

Over time, it added, it hoped to learn how different “reactions” should be weighted differently by the Facebook News Feed to customize it for individual users.

Now instead of liking a post you can do a whole lot more. The three most used Reactions on a post will be featured alongside the Like button.

Facebook went through comments on friends’ posts, as well as emoji-like stickers people were using.

“You’ve seen the new reactions to the Paris attacks and things like that, this gives people to express a real emotion to something like that”, he said.

I think we can be fairly certain that the choice of these five new reactions is part of Facebook’s ongoing campaign to enforce positivity on its network. Do you feel this improves interaction on Facebook?

The new buttons, which were first unveiled in October a year ago, have been on trial in Spain and Ireland – but as of today we all get to use them.

By giving consumers more ways to express their emotions, Facebook is introducing nuance to its platform.

“Not every moment is a good moment, and sometimes you just want a way to express empathy and make it comfortable to share a wider range of emotions”, Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page.