Facebook Starts Rolling Out 'Downvote' Button to More Users

Advertisement
By Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: 30 April 2018 10:59 IST
Highlights
  • The "downvote" button is not "dislike" button
  • Clicking it hides the comment for the user
  • Then the user is asked whether the comment was offensive or misleading

Facebook has begun rolling out a feature called "downvote" that lets users register a negative reaction to comments on the social networking platform but it is not the "dislike" button users have long desired.

Clicking the "downvote" button hides the comment for the user who taps it, then asks the user to say whether the comment was "offensive", "misleading", or "off topic".

Facebook confirmed the test in February this year.

"Now, it appears the feature is rolling out to a greater number of users. The Reddit-style 'downvote' button aims to improve the quality of discourse on the platform," The Next Web reported on Monday.

A "dislike" button has been on many users' wishlist since the social media giant introduced its "like" button in February 2009.

Facebook's "like" button allows users to express their approval for the messages, photos and other content their friends posted.

The social networking giant is also literally sizing down the doubtful stories to prevent the triumph of falsehood on its platform.

As part of its new strategy to combat fake news, Facebook wants its users to miss these stories at the time of scrolling their News Feed, while not withdrawing them altogether so as to walk a fine line "between censorship and sensibility".

When an article is verified as inaccurate by the social network's third-party fact-checkers, Facebook will shrink the size of the link post in the News Feed, TechCrunch reported.

"We reduce the visual prominence of feed stories that are fact-checked false," a Facebook spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Facebook is also now using machine learning to look at newly published articles and scan them for signs of falsehood.

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, Watch Ultra 2 Renders Hint at a Refreshed Design
  2. Nothing Phone 4b Teaser Suggests the Phone Could Launch in India Very Soon
  3. Samsung Galaxy S26 FE Korean Variant Surfaces on Geekbench
  1. OnePlus 15s Unlikely to Launch in India, OnePlus 16 Debut Remains Uncertain, Tipster Claims
  2. Sony Reportedly Removes PC Ports Reference from Business Report Filed to SEC Amidst Shift to PS5 Exclusives
  3. Nothing Phone 4b Design Teased, Microsite Hints at Imminent Launch in India
  4. Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, Watch Ultra 2 Leak Shows New Design, Colours and Features
  5. Oppo Reno 16 Series India Launch Teased; Could Arrive Alongside Oppo Bubble Accessory and New Enco Series Headset
  6. Samsung Galaxy S26 FE Korean Variant Spotted on Geekbench With Exynos 2500 SoC, 8GB RAM
  7. Apple’s Future Product Roadmap to Reportedly Include Foldable iPhone, AI Glasses, and Camera AirPods
  8. JWST Reveals Salt Clouds in the Atmosphere of the ‘Pink Planet’ GJ 504b
  9. The East Palace 2026 OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch it Online?
  10. Manithan Deivamagalam Now Available For Streaming Online: What You Need to Know
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.