In a Few Weeks, Facebook Will Introduce “Reactions”

Here’s the scenario. Your friend’s dog died. They post on Facebook an album of themselves having happy times with the old pup before his passing, with a paragraph or two of how much he will be missed and how they will never have a dog like Carl the Basset Hound again. You want to show your support, so you like the post.

But then it just looks like you liked that your friends dog died. What are you, some kid of monster?

Lucky for you, in a few weeks this won’t be an issue anymore. Facebook is giving their users the options between five different emojis to respond to a friends’ post or photo. For the dead dog scenario above, someone could actually show they were sad. It they wanted to send their love, they could select a heart. Other emojis include wow, haha and angry. There was a yay, but alas, the yay was rejected.

Facebook Reactions, the new like button, to roll out globally in a few weeks https://t.co/21Cyyra24Vpic.twitter.com/iU1h0SHx8f

— Jisc (@Jisc) January 27, 2016

Mashable said that these Facebook Reactions have been tested all over the world, from Spain, Ireland and Chile, to the Philippines and Colombia. Finally it’s time for the U.S. to have a go at these emojis, but they won’t be available for a short while.

Facebook told Bloomberg Business that users should expect the Reactions “in the next few weeks.”

For those passionate about the Like button, it will still be available. Don’t you worry.