Moving Beyond Likes, Facebook Launching New Emoji Reactions In Upcoming Weeks
MENLO PARK (CBS SF) – Facebook will soon give its 1.5 billion users around the world additional ways to respond to posts beyond the "Like" button or a comment.
Bloomberg Businessweek reported the social network is launching "Reactions," letting users express a range of emotions beyond liking. The feature is expected to show up for U.S. users "in the next few weeks." Facebook has recently tested Reactions among users in several countries, including Spain, Ireland, the Philippines and Japan.
Along with the traditional "Like," users can react to a post with the options "Love," "Haha" and "Wow," along with "Angry" or "Sad."
Since its launch in 2009, users have sought an alternative to the "Like" button when responding to posts about tragic or sad events.
Facebook chief product officer Chris Cox said in the report that a "dislike" button often requested by users did not make the cut because it would sow too much negativity.
Bloomberg reported that the button is clicked 6 billion times a day, more frequently than Google users perform searches.