I’ve long maintained that Facebook ought to have a “dislike” button (since long before I found LessWrong, and shortly after the “like” button was added), but now I sometimes look for it. (Also, I think I’ve accidentally used Markdown on Wikipedia.)
Of course it is. But this is much less damaging than bullying. Just think through it for a moment. What would happen if one could anonymously downvote pictures/posts of their “friends”? Clearly the meanness would spread unchecked until almost everything is downvoted out of spite.
The FB environment is completely unlike (no pun intended) LW or even Reddit. There there is not even a pretense of learning or any kind of rational discourse. As a result of potential dislikes, the amount of stuff people post on FB would go down drastically, and so would the average number of friends per person. One might think that it is a good thing, but it would certainly negatively impact the profits and publicity of the Facebook itself.
What would happen if one could anonymously downvote pictures/posts of their “friends”?
Facebook likes are not anonymous, and dislikes wouldn’t be either. It’s not unlike posting a comment saying “Boo”, minus the trivial inconvenience of having to type.
The FB environment is completely unlike (no pun intended) LW or even Reddit.
So what? The purpose of likes is different from the purpose of upvotes, too, and dislikes would just be the mirror image. (The idea of dislikes first occurred to me before I had ever heard of LW or Reddit.)
As a result of potential dislikes, the amount of stuff people post on FB would go down drastically,
Why? Youtube also has dislikes, and it’s not like people stopped uploading new videos or commenting when they were implemented.
and so would the average number of friends per person.
It really wouldn’t. Negative feedback is much more potent than equal positive feedback. Anyway, the reasons why FB has stayed and will stay away from dislikes (and google+ from −1) have been rehashed online to no end (basically, hate doesn’t sell ads or products). Tapping out.
I’ve long maintained that Facebook ought to have a “dislike” button (since long before I found LessWrong, and shortly after the “like” button was added), but now I sometimes look for it. (Also, I think I’ve accidentally used Markdown on Wikipedia.)
It wouldn’t work on Facebook. The level of maturity is not there, people would just use it for bullying and revenge.
Yeah, right, because the “like” button is never used for cheering and arse-licking.
Of course it is. But this is much less damaging than bullying. Just think through it for a moment. What would happen if one could anonymously downvote pictures/posts of their “friends”? Clearly the meanness would spread unchecked until almost everything is downvoted out of spite.
The FB environment is completely unlike (no pun intended) LW or even Reddit. There there is not even a pretense of learning or any kind of rational discourse. As a result of potential dislikes, the amount of stuff people post on FB would go down drastically, and so would the average number of friends per person. One might think that it is a good thing, but it would certainly negatively impact the profits and publicity of the Facebook itself.
Facebook likes are not anonymous, and dislikes wouldn’t be either. It’s not unlike posting a comment saying “Boo”, minus the trivial inconvenience of having to type.
So what? The purpose of likes is different from the purpose of upvotes, too, and dislikes would just be the mirror image. (The idea of dislikes first occurred to me before I had ever heard of LW or Reddit.)
Why? Youtube also has dislikes, and it’s not like people stopped uploading new videos or commenting when they were implemented.
Why?
It really wouldn’t. Negative feedback is much more potent than equal positive feedback. Anyway, the reasons why FB has stayed and will stay away from dislikes (and google+ from −1) have been rehashed online to no end (basically, hate doesn’t sell ads or products). Tapping out.