Bambi Eloriaga-Amago
Sometimes it doesn’t take a lot to set the cyberworld abuzz. Sometimes all it takes is four words. Four words, “we are working on it,” uttered by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had netizens reacting and posting.
You see, what the people at Facebook are currently working on is the addition of a dislike button.
“People have asked about the ‘dislike’ button for many years,” Zuckerberg said last September 15 during a question-and-answer forum streamed live from California. “Today is the day that I actually get to say we are working on it.”
The reaction was almost immediate. Singer Josh Groban was a bit pensive about it. “Hate to break it to you Facebook but the entire internet is already a dislike button,” he tweeted.
Others voiced their concern that the dislike button could be used as a tool for cyber-bullying. Writer Eliza Bayne says, “Facebook is adding a Dislike button. Just when you thought they’d run out of ideas on ruining peoples’ lives.”
Australian musician Will Sparks thought along the same lines as the writer. “Facebook encouraging cyber bullying with the Dislike button has me in disbelief,” he posted.
Others took a a very grave tone upon speaking on the matter, such as comedian Brock Willbur. “Genuinely fearful I know the first person who will kill themselves because of a situation involving the “dislike” button,” he confessed.
FB user Dave Patrick expressed his shock at the announcement, “I’m surprised by Facebook. They have think tanks and a huge R&D budget. The idea of a dislike button (no matter how logical it may seem at this current time) is fraught with problems. I believe in the wider context it will increase bullying and paranoia and make FB more confrontational and argumentative. It will become nastier and that has impact on all of us.”
Journalist Kristie Lu Stout also professed puzzlement. “I honestly don’t know how I would use it. It would feel… rude.”
FB user John Paras thinks using the button will be the end of a lot of friendships “because nowadays people get easily offended.”
But on the flip side of the coin, there are those who took the announcement with humor.
American radio talk show host Jerry Doyle said this about the announcement: “In other news; pigs have been spotted flying and Hell has frozen over…”
Writer Josh Gondelman thinks Facebook should even take it further: “…really they should add a “Whoa! What An Asshole!” button that the original poster can’t see.”
Musician $pencer tweeted: “A lot of people think that pregnancy is beautiful, but I’m hoping the new Facebook dislike button will clear that right up.”
Another musician, Eric Alamango, paraphrased a Game of Thrones meme: “Embrace yourself… Dislike button is coming!”
Then there are others who criticized Facebook for the move. “Facebook says they’re working on a dislike button. How much ‘work’ does this require???” Asked Eli Braden, a regular on the Howard Stern show.
While Twitter user @OhNoSheTwitnt criticized the cyberworld in general, saying, “Do people excited about getting a dislike button on Facebook not know that you can just ignore things online that you don’t like? Oh right.”
