Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has finally given in to user demands, announcing that it is all set to launch its ‘dislike’ button. Ever since the now iconic ‘Like’ button was launched on Facebook in 2009, users have requested a similar button to express dislike and disapproval on posts too – should they want to.
According to a BBC report, in a Q&A session held at Facebook’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, Zuckerberg announced that “Facebook was very close to having it ready for user testing”.
People have asked about the ‘dislike’ button for many years. Probably hundreds of people have asked about this, and today is a special day because today is the day that I actually get to say we are working on it, and are very close to shipping a test of it.
– Mark Zuckerberg to his audience on Tuesday
Zuckerberg, however, is well aware of the negativity such an introduction could spawn – which is why he has made it clear that he doesn’t want the button to be used to “down vote” other people’s posts.
In fact, according to this ABPLive report, the Facebook founder feels such a button should be used when ‘like’ isn’t an option for certain posts – like tragic or sad ones. In such a case, the button could be used to express empathy.
The new button, he stated, was ready to be tested soon and “could be rolled out broadly depending on how it does”.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)