I’m sure you’ve heard by now that there are stories floating around about the possibility of Facebook adding a “dislike” button. Oh dear. While to some, this seems like a great way to keep people honest, knowing how easily the petty flows online, I can’t see any good coming from this. Yes, these social networks do lend themselves to fronting, but there is no reason to encourage e-bullying.
Let’s be real. If you dislike someone’s post, that will lead to you having to explaining why. It’s a recipe for long argument threads. And that’s just referring to statuses. What about pictures? Depending on who it is, a dislike on a picture of the account owner may not do so much harm. But, imagine if you will, if someone dares dislike a picture of your child. No bueno.
If like other stories say online, it’s just a button for empathy, then that’s alright. Because the other possibility, is just asking for trouble. For real, it may some to further withdraw into themselves emotionally. Just a thought. What do you think?
My personal philosophy is, “I am only responsible for what I say. I am not responsible for how it makes one feel.” I am in favor of a dislike button for many reasons. If people cannot or will not control or “police” themselves with regards to using social media; if people will not show each other (un)common courtesy; if people will not treat each other they way in which they wish to be treated, then it won’t matter what Facebook does or does not add. It’s frankly part of a larger problem that speaks to people not realizing that they share the planet with other people, and that being the case, they should follow the Golden Rule. One can never go wrong with that.
Great points adauphin04.