According to a recent Bits Blog article, Facebook’s co-founder Mark Zuckerberg announced yesterday that the company plans on integrating a “Dislike” button into the social media platform in the near future. “Not every moment is a good moment, and if you are sharing something that is sad, whether it’s something in current events, like the refugees crisis that touches you, or if a family member passed away, then it may not feel comfortable to like that post,” Mr. Zuckerberg said. “So I do think it’s important to give people more options than just like.”
With over 1.5 billion users on Facebook, you can be certain there is differing opinions on the matter. “There is already enough hate on Facebook and social media,” Atiq Haneef of Pakistan commented on an earlier version of this article on the Facebook page of The New York Times. “I’m gonna dislike this dislike button!”
But Roger Anderson of Atlanta, a former government microbiologist, wrote, “What’s wrong with a dislike button? Let’s have varying opinions on Facebook posts! If some feelings get hurt, then so be it and just grow up.”
So what does this mean for the world of Digital Marketing? For businesses that advertise on Facebook this could have major negative implications! Instead of someone simply ignoring your sponsored post – they now have the ability to “Dislike” it and spark an inflammatory rant bashing your business. Facebook users have the ability to screen negative comments but will they have the ability to hide a “Dislike”? And how will the “Dislike” button affect Facebook’s algorithms? If someone “Dislikes” a post will Facebook stop showing that business in user Timelines?
Only time will tell as this new controversial button gets launched. Gina Bianchini, chief executive of Mightybell, which builds and runs social networks for businesses, said that Facebook had been smart about making it easier for users to express more nuanced feelings, and that she expected the new button would be a positive addition to conversation on the social network.
“All social networks are getting more sophisticated about this,” Ms. Bianchini said. “People want to express more through a button. It’s so much easier to press a button than typing a lot.”
