3 Reasons Facebook Will Never Add A Legitimate 'Dislike' Button
The spurious Facebook dislike button is just one of many current scams on Facebook, making it appear that an official Facebook-sanctioned dislike button just wasn't meant to be.
In this case, security pros warn that the dislike button is a scam in that by accepting the link to download the application Facebook users give the rogue app permission to access their profile, which then begins propagating itself to other Facebook users. The app updates a user's Facebook status without their knowing promoting the same link for a dislike button, spreading it to a user's contacts, then contacts of each user who is also tricked into downloading it.
Facebook is working to block the dislike button application before it affects more users and is informing users how to disable it.
It's not surprising that the dislike button application turned out to be a phony. Equally unsurprising is that users are falling for it, as a Facebook group stumping for Facebook to unleash a legit dislike button has grown to more than 3 million strong. Users have wanted -- craved, even -- a true dislike or anti-like button, if you will, for years. But Facebook won't give it to them.
In the wake of the dislike button scam, here are 3 reasons Facebook will never release a legitimate dislike button.
1. Facebook is supposed to be a happy place. Facebook is a place where friends share photos of their children; share some of the most minute details about their daily lives; and connect with friends and colleagues old and new. Of course the dislike button application currently circulating on Facebook is a scam. Being able to dislike a status update, a photo, a link or a video on Facebook with a single mouse click would disrupt the cheery fabric of friendship Facebook has woven for its 500 million members. More simply put: Facebook wants you to "like" things. Its advertisers probably do to.
2. Facebook wants users to contribute. Currently, when a Facebook user truly does not like a status update or a photo, the only recourse is to leave a comment. That spurs participation and that keeps users on the site for longer periods of time. In turn, Facebook's advertising rates can rise and everyone wins. A one-click dislike would shave countless hours of usage time. As usage decreases, so does the bottom line.
3. Facebook wants its users to have a positive experience. Facebook doesn't want its users to have a negative experience. And if someone disliked grandma's photo of the cake she baked, that wouldn't be too positive an experience, now would it? Facebook doesn't want its users upsetting the apple cart and creating an air of negativity and the company is willing to sacrifice a user's ability to dislike "Joe Smith just had a root canal" to ensure that no one dislikes Jane Jones' pictures of her new baby.