Facebook has revamped the way it handles comments on its site, adding reactions to spice things up and give users more ways to express themselves.
The move comes just one month after Facebook rolled out reactions to Messenger, and more than a year since reactions became available on the main site.
The same reactions that launched on the main site last year are now available for Facebook comments as well, as users can now react to a comment with "like," "love," "haha," "wow," "sad" or "angry" emoji.
Messenger reactions also include a "dislike" option, but Facebook thought it would have a negative impact if it would be available for public posts as well.
Facebook Comments Reactions: Good or Bad?
Having the option to react to a Facebook comment rather than typing in a response or searching for a sticker adds a new layer of expressiveness, but are emoji taking over?
Does the ability to respond to a message with "like," "love," "haha," "wow," "sad" or "angry" improve communication or does it hinder it? Do we really need it?
Like it or not, emoji are here to stay. They've gradually gained more ground and have become virtually ubiquitous, serving almost as a language for millennials and netizens of all ages.
While in the past people would communicate using their words to express how they felt about something, nowadays it's as easy as tapping an emoji to show how you feel.
Commenting on a comment? That's old news, just click "haha" or "love" it and be done with it. What are words anyway? Do they serve any purpose? Are words the ancestors of emoji? "Wow."
However, things don't have to be always black or white. Having the option to add emoji to illustrate a reaction can be helpful as it can help users express more in less time. On the other hand, it could become a problem when emoji make up the bulk or the entirety of the conversation, as that could be heavily detrimental to communication.
The middle ground here would be to combine the two, using both words and emoji as legitimate means of expression, and that's what Facebook seems to be gunning for.
Emoji and words are not mutually exclusive, and Facebook's new comments reactions don't have to hinder communication. Users can easily combine the two and improve the conversation. Emoji, stickers and the like add a touch of color to the scene and can make a conversation more entertaining and engaging, so let's not be too quick to dismiss them.
Facebook Reactions For Comments: Rollout And Availability
Facebook has already started rolling out reactions for comments on both the desktop and the mobile versions of its site, but the rollout seems to be gradual. That said, it might take a while for all users to see the new options for Facebook comments, but emoji reactions are nonetheless coming to all.
To use reactions for Facebook comments, just hover over the like button on desktop or long-press it on mobile, just like you would on a Facebook post.
Have you tried out Facebook's new reactions for comments? What do you think of this feature? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
