How about a “Dislike” button?

By TheTechDad

The “Like” button on Facebook is a brilliant idea. Not only does it allow us to show our appreciation of a company, an organization, an artist, or an idea, but we can also give a thumbs up to comments, photos, videos, and virtually anything else that appears on the site.

Plus, the Like button is one of the great viral marketing tools of all time. Not just for Facebook but also for the thousands of web sites that now carry the Like button alongside articles, blog posts, commentaries, and reviews.

Some of the more popular consumer brands have had enormous success with the Like tool, insuring that promotions and special offers are as widely distributed as possible. Although Facebook doesn’t publish leaderboards, Starbucks is almost certainly near the top of the most popular brand list, with over 18 million people expressing caffeine-induced approval.

On the celebrity front, Lady Gaga surely leads the way with over 23 million “Likes”, with fellow pop stars Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift also reaching very respectable 8-digit totals.

But if we can Like, shouldn’t we also be allowed to “Dislike”? If we give the thumbs up, why can’t we also give the thumbs down? There are surely plenty of worthy candidates – think the TSA, the IRS, and a dozen other government agencies!

Sadly, despite numerous Facebook groups lobbying for the Dislike button, it doesn’t look as if it’s coming anytime soon. I understand the desire to avoid controversy but it’s still a missed opportunity. The Dislike button could end up being the most liked thing on Facebook!

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