MANILA, Philippines – Facebook is testing a “downvote” button that allows people to disapprove a comment, TechCrunch reports. 

Facebook confirmed to TechCrunch that they are now testing the new tool on a few public posts by Pages in the US, at the moment. The tool, said Facebook, is being designed as an easy way to let people communicate to Facebook that a certain comment is inappropriate, incorrect, or offensive. 

Facebook, however, clarified that they are not testing a dislike button, as quoted by TechCrunch: “We are not testing a dislike button. We are exploring a feature for people to give us feedback about comments on public page posts. This is running for a small set of people in the U.S. only.”

Business Insider and TechCrunch referred to a post by one user who has experienced the in-testing tool by Facebook: 

I now have #FacebookDownvote on sponsored posts in my feed! #smm #socialmediamarketing #socialmedia #digitalmarketing pic.twitter.com/BKZyS25ZEZ

— Christina Hudler (@hudlersocial) February 8, 2018

The downvote mechanism is in use on other social sites like Reddit, Quora and other online forums, wherein downvoting leads to several effects for the posts including reduced distribution, getting buried in the bottom part of the comments reel, or being hidden.

In Facebook, when users choose to downvote a comment, the comment is hidden, and users are given options to explain their vote including “Offensive” and “Misleading,” as Business Insider reports. Given the options, Facebook may be testing another way to identify fake news.

Unlike the Reddit version of the tool, the Facebook downvote, in its current form, will not publicly show how many downvotes a comment has received nor will it affect the ranking of a comment, post or Page. 

Regarding the development, Reddit co-founder, Alexis Ohanian Sr., whose site popularized the downvote button, jokingly said that he wished he had trademarked the said button along with the “upvote.” 

Sincerest form of flattery! Wish I’d trademarked it and “upvote” when came up with it. https://t.co/wJMxILChCV

— Alexis Ohanian Sr. (@alexisohanian) February 8, 2018

While not exactly the “dislike” button that many users have clamored for, it’s the closest thing that Facebook has come up with in terms of disapproving reactions to another user’s actions. – Rappler.com