Recently, there has been some talk about Facebook showing interest in adding a thumbs down button feature. This would allow people to publicly show that they do not like someone’s post. With sensible pros and cons, this feature has caused people to speak up and truly dissect social media as a whole.

According to journalist Dan Berthiaume, “unconfirmed reports say the button will be designed to let users express empathy for posts about negative event, such as the death of a loved one.” Some believe that liking the posts pays respect to the person who passed away. However, both sides can be understood.

Also, Berthiaume said a pro could be instant sentiment. He stated that, “Retailers put a lot of time and money into assessing the deeper sentiment hidden within consumer Facebook posts. It usually involves investments in technology, consulting services, and/or internal personnel all focused on reading into whether consumers are saying good things about them on Facebook.”

A sophomore at Joliet West, Jalen Jones, agrees, “I think they should! Because most of what people post on Facebook is controversial, I think that to avoid further conflict with what’s being posted on the Internet, there should be a dislike option.”

However, in the society we live in today, “thumbs down” and “dislikes” be considered bullying. Yes, there are advertisements on Facebook and companies can get feedback by getting a thumbs down, but the vast majority of Facebook users are young and share posts that pertain to themselves.

A sophomore at Joliet West, Marina Rico, shared, “No, I don’t think the dislike/thumbs down option is necessary for Facebook because if you simply don’t like what is being posted you can ignore it and or stop being friends with the person or association.”

According to cyber bullying statistics from the i-SAFE Foundation, more than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyber threats online. This then leads to the sensitivity and caution that must be taken when dealing with things online.

Sophomore Savana DelRose agreed with Rico, stating, “I do not think there should be an option for this because it will just cause bullying, in my opinion. If you do not agree with something that has been posted, then you can report it. Most people post something that they are proud of and want to share, so we should not be able to hate on it.”

Overall, Facebook is just another social media site people use to express personal opinions, accomplishments, and events. A dislike button would most certainly cause issues. Many Joliet West students give a thumbs down to the idea of a dislike button.