Facebook unveils new Reactions feature, introduces alternative options to likes

FACEBOOK has unveiled a nifty new feature that will make the infamous ‘like’ button even more expressive. And it doesn’t involve disliking anything.

FACEBOOK has unveiled what it actually meant last month when the world got its knickers in a twist over a ‘dislike’ button.

Instead of the much-awaited ‘dislike’ button, the social media network is testing a nifty new feature that will make the infamous ‘like’ button much more expressive.

Today we’re launching a pilot test of Reactions — a more expressive Like button. As you can see, it’s not a “dislike”...

Posted by Chris Cox on Thursday, October 8, 2015

Chief product officer Chris Cox unveiled the new ‘Reactions’ feature in a post on Facebook.

“As you can see, it’s not a “dislike” button, though we hope it addresses the spirit of this request more broadly,” Cox wrote on Facebook.

“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.”

The new ‘Reactions’ feature will allow users to choose between a number of alternative options from the traditional ‘like’, including ‘love’, ‘haha’, ‘yay’, ‘wow’, ‘sad’ and ‘angry’.

Each option comes with an animated emoji when you hover over your choice.

It is currently being tested in Ireland and Spain, with no date set for an international roll out.

Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg caused an uproar in September when he spoke about plans for the ‘Reactions’ feature, which many misinterpreted as an announcement that company was working on a ‘dislike’ button.

Many claimed a ‘dislike’ button would lead to cyber-bullying and trolling.

One Facebook user commented on Cox’s post: “I think a thumbs down would have sufficed”.