Facebook Trial Downvoting

Facebook is testing a new 'downvote' button for flagging content.

21:29 12 February 2018

Facebook is currently testing a “downvote” button that allows people to hide comments and provide feedback about them. The social network confirmed that it is being tried out by a small number of US users.

 

In a statement, Facebook said: "We are exploring a feature for people to give us feedback about comments on public page posts. This is running for a small set of people in the US only,"

 

Reacting on the news, Martin Garner, tech analyst at CCS Insight, said: "It has become very clear that Mark Zuckerberg doesn't want Facebook to have the responsibility of identifying what is offensive or misleading - and what is not - because that would put him into the position of being a publisher rather than a platform," he said.

 

"He doesn't want to do that as it takes the business in a different direction - so he is leaning on the community to do it.

 

"It is an open question as to whether that's the right answer or not but that's where this fits in."

 

Facebook has also confirmed that it is hiring more engineers in London to address pressing issues. "Whether it's scamming, bullying, harassment or false news, they will work with experts to understand the issue, identify the pattern and build a solution," said Facebook's Chris Cox.