Like it or not, Facebook has introduced a new “like” button that posts web content directly to your profile. Now, when you like something, a headline along with a blurb and thumbnail image will appear on your wall and your friends’ newsfeeds.
“This is just too much clutter for the page,” said Julia Levy, an engineering major at USC. “I think it would annoy me, going to the pages and seeing all this stuff about things they like.”
Students talk about how they feel about the new "like" button. (Video shot by Soyoug Kim)
The “like” button used to simply post a link to a story. Now it closely resembles the share button, which makes detailed content more visible to users. Facebook officials say they hope this change will improve the user experience by eliminating any confusion about the difference between liking and sharing.
Some Facebook users, however, are concerned about how the button will affect their profiles.
“I don’t think I’m going to like anything anymore if it’s going to spam my wall,” said Gabriella Momah, an incoming freshman at USC. “We know it’s a social networking site, but we should still have our own privacy.”
And because the new button could increase traffic to publishers’ websites, some users are worried about the role advertising will play in their social networking experience.
“I think they’re just trying to make a lot of money, and I don’t blame them,” said Ray Ping, another incoming freshman at USC. “But it shouldn’t affect me, so I don’t really like it.”
