Facebook is testing a reactions feature in Messenger

When Facebook rolled out a wider selection of reaction buttons a year ago, the was one button conspicuously missing: a dislike button. Facebook is now testing out a thumbs down reaction, but not for posts. Rather, it’s a feature in Facebook Messenger. 

TechCrunch is reporting that the company is testing a new reactions feature in Messenger, which would allow users to add reaction emojis next to text in conversations. Users would do this by clicking on a button next to text, which would bring up a series of reactions. The reactions are similar to the current six reaction buttons for posts, but also includes a thumbs down button. The feature also includes a reaction counter, which would list the number of reactions on any given line.

 

“We’re always testing ways to make Messenger more fun and engaging. This is a small test where we enable people to share an emoji that best represents their feelings on a message.”

While a Dislike button has been frequently requested by users, Facebook had resisted creating one, opting instead to create the wider range of reactions (which can be branded or changed for special occasions). According to TechCrunch, Facebook is treating the thumbs down as “more a ‘no’ button”, and that the test is to see if the “reactions are helpful for quick logistics and voting.” 

The feature doesn’t appear for all users, but the company has conducted tests on small groups of users before rolling it out to the larger population. 

The article was published on : theverge