Facebook’s New ‘Flag’ Button

Yet again, I have found myself writing about Facebook – although this time I present to you my findings and opinions so far on their latest addition. This morning, I was distracted from my usual routine of seeing what my friends have been gettin up to on Facebook; instead I noticed a new ‘flag’ button on page content. I thought I would investigate this further to discover why Facebook have added this button and not the ‘dislike’ button that many users are demanding, what this new button should be used for and exactly how we are meant to use it…

What is the ‘flag’ button?

The Facebook flag button appears against all content on Facebook pages and group. It allows each user a simple click to remove irrelevant or offensive content that they do not want to see without leaving the group or page. After testing using the flag button, I discovered that content is only removed on an individual basis, so all other users will still be able to see the content apart from the user who has hit the flag button.

Do we need really need another button?

I have lost count of how many times I have heard people saying that Facebook should make a ‘dislike’ button, so where is the dislike button? And why have Facebook made a flag button? As it stands, Facebook have not explained why they have added this button, creating the start of great debate over the matter. Why won’t they give users exactly what they want without trying to create something different?

Although a dislike button would have been effective, it could have been the cause for even more offensive talk on Facebook as users could ‘dislike’ a thread, effectively subscribing to that thread and then receive notifications of other tasteless comments on the thread. This could have been seen as encouraging arguments on Facebook rather than allowing a user to simply click a button and remove content that they disagree with or do not wish to see again.

There will always be one person who is very easily offended by content on the internet and there are other who are simply not bothered by what others have to say. In the first instance, the flag button would be ideal as it allows a user to personalise the content that they see on Facebook.

The negatives of Facebook flagging

At present, many Facebook users will find the flag button confusing. There is no clarification on what the button is or should be used for, especially when some less savvy internet users may consider the flag button a reminder as it is in some email providers.

Yes Facebook are stepping up in the world of online privacy and this is definitely another way of finding potentially dangerous or offensive content on the social network but it does still have its flaws.

Even if a user identifies what the flag button is used for and decides to use it on a comment on a thread, there is no way for a user to specify exactly why they are flagging that specific content. If they then decided to report it, Facebook have only provided us with a dropdown menu to select that either the content ‘attacks an individual or group’ or that it is ‘advertisement/spam’. There is also a lack of explanation as to how long it would take for the content to be removed or if this would even happen at all. So there is still no way of being certain that specific content is going to be reviewed and reported.

The flag button does not always work either. For example when trying to flag content that has been added by the admin of a page, it does not work and presents us with the message ‘your flag action cannot be saved’. If a user cannot flag content created by the owner of a page then how can we report this? Have Facebook considered that it may well be the owner of a group that is creating offensive content? Or are users then expected to just use the ‘report this page’ button?

After further investigation on my own profile, I have learnt that it is also currently very inconsistent with not all pages having the option to flag content. Could this button potentially be something that page owners have the option to opt into – who knows?

I think the main point is that the average facebook user who isn’t interested in researching and understanding new developments may well find this latest addition completely mind boggling and pointless. Are we meant to use the report button or the flag button and how exactly do we request and get confirmation that content is to be removed completely? The flag button was not announced to Facebook users either; there is no transparency on the matter which may have helped clarify to users exactly what this new button is doing on their Facebook.

Why is nobody talking about this online?

I think I can safely say that no one is talking about this because no one knows what it is.

Yes it is a bonus by means of individual user control – if someone feels so strongly against something then they don’t have to ever see it again. If they feel that the content is abusive, spam or could be offensive to others then they do have the chance to report it further. It is a good way of getting around the fact that the majority of online content is backed by freedom of speech so rather than deleting content completely, Facebook are being clever in allowing for content to be customised to suit an individual users viewing.