Speaking at a Facebook headquarters Q&A session recently, developer Mark Zuckerberg says a ‘dislike’ button is nearing the testing stage.
While many people are going to have their wishes fulfilled with the arrival of a counterpart to the Facebook Like Button, the Dislike Button may be the ultimate undoing for those in business who try to use Facebook as a way of engaging potential customers with a ‘Buy my stuff’ shoutout. After enough slap downs, even the thickest of skulls might begin to comprehend the more “socially” correct form of advertising.
Zuck is trying to figure a way to allow people to show “empathy,” without the site becoming like Reddit. It will be interesting to see if more Dislikes cause a post to dry up or if a wildly unpopular post gets the same boost in organic distribution as a well-Liked post.
There are lots of other buttons I’d like to see. How about a Sympathy Button, useful when someone breaks a leg, their cats dies or their partner unexpectedly dumps them? Or how about a Baldfaced Lie Button, as we move into the political season? Of course some people are pleading for a TMI Button and a Meh Button.