Forget likes, Facebook begins testing EMOJI

In addition to the standard Like button, users in select regions are being given six new 'Reactions' to test.

The icons used for these emotions look like Unicode emoji faces and they will let users express love, happiness, surprise, anger and sadness.

'The Like button has been a part of Facebook for a long time,' said Mark Zuckerberg in a post announcing the feature.

'Billions of Likes are made every day, and Liking things is a simple way to express yourself.'

'For many years though, people have asked us to add a "dislike" button. 

'Not every moment is a good moment, and sometimes you just want a way to express empathy.

'These are important moments where you need the power to share more than ever, and a Like might not be the best way to express yourself.'

'As you can see, it’s not a "dislike” button, though we hope it addresses the spirit of this request more broadly,' said Facebook's Chris Cox.

'We studied which comments and reactions are most commonly and universally expressed across Facebook, then worked to design an experience around them that was elegant and fun. 

'Starting today Ireland and Spain can start loving, wow-ing, or expressing sympathy to posts on Facebook by hovering or long-pressing the Like button wherever they see it. 

'We’ll use the feedback from this to improve the feature and hope to roll it out to everyone soon.'

The dislike button has been one of the site's most requested features in recent years but founder Mark Zuckerberg had previously ruled it out because he was concerned it would cause negativity. 

In particular, he was hesitant because he feared Facebook would become similar to Reddit, where users can upvote and downvote posts.  

During a Q&A session at the social network's headquarters last month, however, the 31-year-old admitted he had changed his mind.

Rather than introducing a way to either like or dislike a post, he said he wanted a feature that made it easier for people to express empathy. 

There will be seven reactions in total, officially referred to as 'Like', 'Love', 'Haha', 'Yay', 'Wow', 'Sad' and 'Angry', and the list will appear when a person holds down the Like button on a mobile, or hovers their mouse over it on the desktop version of the site. 

Facebook has not revealed how long the trial will take place, but it is expected to roll the option out to other regions if this initial trial is a success.

'People come to Facebook to share all kinds of things - whether that's updates that are happy, sad, funny or thought-provoking,' the site explained. 

'And we've heard you'd like more ways to celebrate, commiserate or laugh together. 

'That's why we are testing Reactions, an extension of the Like button, to give you more ways to share your reaction to a Facebook post in a quick and easy way.  

In the meantime, people can send a dislike sticker in Facebook Messenger posts.

It is available as part of the Likes sticker package, which also includes a heart, a peace sign, a protest fist, a hand holding a bunch of flowers and a glass of champagne, among others.

According to recent research, the most annoying Facebook posts that would warrant the use of a dislike button are those that brag about dieting and exercising.

This was followed by people who share every meal, and cryptic statuses designed to seek attention by being deliberately vague.

Facebook scams have previously exploited user's demand for a dislike button to install malware and infect accounts.

In particular, the Enable Dislike Button scam claims to offer the opposite to a like button and began appearing on many Facebook users' walls back in 2011. 

(dailymail.co.uk)