Facebook is finally getting a dislike button
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
We've all been there: You're casually scrolling through your Facebook feed, trying unsuccessfully to dodge the onslaught of autoplay videos and humble brags, when you come upon an acquaintance's sentimental status about their cat dying. What do you do? You don't know this person well enough to comment something encouraging! You've never met the cat! You settle, begrudgingly, on "liking" the sad update to show support and move on.
Well, now there's a button to avoid all of that uncomfortable internet emotion. Or, at least, there will be soon.
After years of fielding user requests for a "dislike" button, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday that the social network is finally developing one, Business Insider reports. Zuckerberg also explained that while the company didn't initially design the website with a dislike button to avoid creating a Reddit-like upvote and downvote system, he's since realized that users don't want to tear each other down. "What they really want is the ability to express empathy," he said. "Not every moment is a good moment."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Phew, so now you'll be able to quickly dislike the sad, emotional statuses out there and move on with your day. Thanks Facebook!
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Stephanie is an editorial assistant at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Modern Luxury Media.
