TikTok users can now flag comments with 'dislike' button
TikTok users can now express their displeasure at a comment with the new "dislike" button. The company has been testing the feature that helps identify hurtful or pointless comments since April. Now, it has announced a worldwide rollout of the feature. With the addition of the dislike button, TikTok joins the likes of platforms like YouTube and Reddit that have similar tools. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
Should social media sites have "dislike" buttons? There is no one answer to this question. We will find people at both ends of the spectrum. Dislike buttons have their perks, and they can be potentially misused as well. TikTok's decision to introduce a "dislike" button after working on it since 2020 is a well-thought-out one. Will it improve user experience? Only time will tell.
Commentators won't be notified when their comment is disliked
TikTok users can dislike irrelevant or inappropriate comments from now on by clicking the "thumbs-down" button. Users will also have the option to take back their dislike by clicking the button again. The dislike won't be public. Nor will commentators get notifications about the same. Commentators or other users also won't be able to see how many dislikes a comment got.
Use dislike button to identify 'irrelevant or inappropriate' comments
What is the purpose of the 'dislike' button?
TikTok considers the "dislike" button as a new way to hear feedback from users. When it started testing the feature, it said that the button is to flag comments that are spam or pointless. Ideally, many dislikes will alert TikTok about a particular comment that it could have missed otherwise. This, in turn, will help create a non-toxic comment section.
Is disliking a comment a replacement for reporting a comment?
TikTok has also confirmed that the "dislike" button is not a replacement for reporting comments. It noted that users should stick to the standard procedure for reporting comments. The dislike button is simply another one in TikTok's suite of moderation tools to help it create a healthy environment. It is not a surefire fix to any particular issue the social media site faces.
