Facebook tests downvote feature

Looks like Facebook is testing new waters. One that can bring about a considerable change in the way users interact on the platform today. Facebook is now trying out a new ‘Downvote’ button. It all started when users started noticing a screenshot of a ‘Downvote’ button being circulated on Twitter. Facebook has officially confirmed the move to an online tech portal.

The downvote button is intended to act like a community-controlled comment system similar to the pattern followed by Reddit. The company has said that it’s intended function is to provide a signal to Facebook by flagging down questionable comments under public posts.

On clicking the downvote button, the comment will be hidden from the user. The user will then be asked whether the comment was offensive, misleading, or off topic. Facebook currently has a ‘Hide’ button for comments, which is usually hidden behind the drop-down arrow on comments.

One of Facebook’s most requested feature is the ‘Dislike’ button. But the company had previously stated that they do not intend to turn Facebook into a platform where people are just voting up or down people’s posts.

Earlier the closest they had come to building a dislike button is when they came up with the reactions function. The emoji-like icons gave users a chance to express a number of complex emotions. Facebook also built reactions into Messenger with the option to give messages a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. This new trial is also in sync with the company’s move to prioritise meaningful interactions between users.  Facebook, however, has stated that this is a short-term trial currently being tested on 5 per cent of Android users in the US and that they have no plans to expand it as of now.