What if Facebookers Dislike Negativity?





The new dislike button on Facebook contains the seeds of huge disruption

Facebook has presumably factored in the wide range of effects the imminent introduction of a `dislike' option will have on the millions who turn to it daily -or even more frequently -for succour and sustenance. The determined optimism inherent in the absence of an easy negativity mechanism has been a source of much comfort to many . While approval requires just a single easy click of an icon, the actual keying in of an apposite dissenting opinion presents too much of an effort for most users. The result is a recording of only positive thoughts, which encourages many to come forth with opinions or photographs, secure in the knowledge that naysayers will remain unquantified. The addition of a dislike option is tantamount to making every Facebook post a referendum on both the writer and his or her offering. Not many would be able to stomach such daily assessments and may opt out of being voted on.Where and when to use a dislike option may prove confounding too. For instance, would expressing dislike of a person in a new outfit be seen as a criticism of the wearer or the outfit? That confusion could drive irate selfie-posters to turn to another negative option on Facebook: unfriend. Of course, the clincher on that would be for Facebook to test if the debut of a dislike option garners more likes or dislikes.

Source: Economic Times, 18-09-2015