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Facebook To Demote Posts That Ask For 'Likes' Or Shares (recode.net)

Posted by BeauHD on from the engagement-baiting dept.

Facebook is cracking down on a new type of clickbait: Posts that ask people to "Like" or share or comment to goose engagement numbers, what Facebook is calling "engagement bait." Their solution? Demote the posts considered to be "engagement bait." Recode reports: Facebook has decided it doesn't like publishers gaming the system this way, and claims users don't like it either."People have told us that they dislike spammy posts on Facebook that goad them into interacting with likes, shares, comments, and other actions," the company wrote on its blog. So starting Monday, posts that Facebook considers to be engagement bait will be pushed down in News Feed. Beginning in a few weeks, publishers and Pages that continue to utilize this tactic will see their reach diminished for all of their posts.

9 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Awesome!!! by Major_Disorder · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I have always made it a point to never like, or share any post that asks me to.
    But that didn't stop those posts from annoying me.

    --
    First law of people: People are generally stupid.
    1. Re:Awesome!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Youtube needs to follow suit and demonetize any video that asks viewers to "like and subscribe" or "smash that like button."

    2. Re:Awesome!!! by Ogive17 · · Score: 2

      Maybe I'm in the minority.. I never saw an issue with someone providing content that I watched say something along the lines of "if you like what you're seeing, please follow me"..

      --
      "Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
  2. FBshould demote posts that ask you to share... by sconeu · · Score: 3, Funny

    Share this comment if you agree!!!

    --
    General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  3. And while we are at it... by dmomo · · Score: 2

    How about these: "Copy and paste this. DO NOT SHARE"

  4. Re:Think of the puppies! by Zaelath · · Score: 3, Funny

    [ ] See less of these kinds of posts.
    [ ] Block this user
    [ ] Set this user on fire

  5. Maybe it's just me but by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 3, Interesting

    isn't the whole " like " thing the unwritten reason anyone even posts on Facebook ?

    I'm certainly no psychologist, but it seems to me that the only reason anyone ( who isn't trolling ) would post on Facebook at all is for the positive feedback it provides via the " like " mechanism. That's kind of the reason for the " like " button to begin with. It makes folks feel good about themselves. Happy users are loyal users who will keep coming back and spilling every detail about their life for Facebook and the data vacuum it hides.

    Perhaps I speak in error and the " likes " aren't the reward mechanism I think it is.

    We could ask Zuckerberg, but I doubt he would be in a divulgatory mood on the matter.

    1. Re:Maybe it's just me but by i286NiNJA · · Score: 2

      Most people post on facebook to keep up with family. I used to like arguing with folks there because it made me feel like a regular Einstein but now it just makes me feel dumb because I know there is a good chance they're just shills.

  6. Knee-jerk reaction.. by Vegan+Cyclist · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "My kid/pet/grandparent is missing, please share" [algorithm downvotes]

    "Please share this link to find your local voting station" [algorithm downvotes]

    "Evacuation order in place, please share and get out" [algorithm downvotes]

    Etc..

    Here's a better idea: an option to reduce content from people you downvote yourself, so you can more easily ignore those who do spam a million things a day, and not miss anything that's important and should be shared.