People do not like Twitter’s plan to remove the like button
Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey is removing the ‘like’ button from Twitter − and the tweeps are not ‘hearting’ the idea.
Dorsey was quoted by the Telegraph as saying at a conference last week that he was going to get rid of the feature, which he is not a fan of, "soon."
The heart button was added to the social media service in 2015, replacing favorites. The report that it could be on its way out has been met with skepticism among many Twitter users.
The Telegraph said the move was aimed at improving debate on the platform - something that has been a focus for the company as it faces accusations that it has not done enough to counter cyberbullying or stem racist and misogynist users. Its efforts over the last year to counter this perception have led to new accusations that it is censoring users based on their political views.
But users are questioning how removing the heart-shaped like button will have any effect on these problems.
Lol at Twitter wondering how it could improve the quality of debate days after further proof has emerged that extremists who go on to commit violent acts of terrorism are carrying on unencumbered on this site & settling on 'likes, likes are the problem' https://t.co/7oMlVyiodE
— Holly Thomas (@HolstaT) October 29, 2018
Users: hey can you get rid of the Nazis please
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) October 29, 2018
Twitter: ok sure, we've changed the stars to hearts for likes
Users: no no, zero Nazis please
Twitter: yep we're getting rid of Vine
Users: nah hey, what about the Nazis
Twitter: ok ok fine, no more likes https://t.co/HKE0BrCiVU
Everyone: a literal white supremacist terrorist used your platform for hate speech and threats.@jack: hmm got it, let's remove the Like button so fascists can get more actual RTs instead of those stupid hearts. https://t.co/glm4HZ1JzP
— Indrapramit Das (@IndrapramitDas) October 29, 2018
Eliminating the "like" button will absolutely, certainly, 100% make the troll problem here way worse. The most common interaction here is the "like," and it's friendly and affirming. In new Twitter, the most common interaction will be a hostile reply. Who the hell wants that?
— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) October 29, 2018
Seriously? The like button is solidarity. It says, “I see you” even when you’re too exhausted to form a reply. It’s a nod or a smile. It’s support.
— 👻🎃Gabe (they/them)🎃👻 (@Ava_Jae) October 29, 2018
This is a depressingly bad move, @jack.
Buzz.ie quoted a Twitter spokesman as saying that there was no timeline for the reported change: "We're experimenting and considering numerous possible changes, all with an eye toward ensuring we're incentivising the right behaviors to drive healthy conversation."
