likebutton
Latest
EU says sites using Facebook's Like button are responsible for your data
The highest court in the EU has issued a ruling that affects websites using Facebook's Like button plugin. It determined sites should obtain the consent of visitors before the plugin captures and sends their data to Facebook, whether or not you click the Like button. Alternatively, sites will have to prove there's a legitimate reason for collecting data and transmitting it to Facebook.
Facebook's 'downvote' test spreads to more users Down Under
With Facebook's F8 developer event approaching, word has spread that more users can try its "downvote" button on post comments. While it's not the fabled "dislike" button that some would like to see, it is a way for users to flag comments Reddit-style on public posts. That may come in handy as it rolls out more video, VR and whatever else' we'll hear about during its 1 PM ET keynote. Facebook confirmed to CNET that its test is occurring in New Zealand, but many users in Australia report seeing the buttons too.
Facebook is making the News Feed easier to navigate
Over the next few weeks, Facebook will be introducing a few updates to its News Feed on desktop and mobile that make it clearer and easier to navigate. First, comments within a post are going to look a bit different. They'll now look like chat bubbles and replies to specific comments will be indented to make it clear that they're not a response to the general post.
Now that everyone dislikes Facebook, it's getting a 'dislike' button
For all of those times when "liking" a pal's Facebook post just doesn't seem appropriate, it seems you'll soon have another option. During a Q&A session today, Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the social network is indeed working on a "dislike" button. Zuckerberg said Facebook didn't offer the option from the start for fear of a Reddit-like battle of upvoting and downvoting. However, the company discovered we have a range of emotions we'd like to express in addition to affirmation, most notably a way to show empathy. It turns out the button has been in the works for a while, and Facebook plans to launch it in the near future. We'll be curious to see how it'll be deployed, but it sounds like we won't have to wait long to find out. And we pretty much know what it'll look like.
Facebook wants to clean up spam in your News Feed
"1 like = $1." "1 like = 1 Respect." "If you don't share this, you're literally the devil." We'll bet you've seen the above way too often on Facebook. Thankfully, the social network's now showing these unwanted status updates less prominently on your feed, if the original posts were published by a Page account. The updated News Feed can identify three types of spammy posts and make sure they don't drown out more relevant status updates. Those infamous "like-baiting" posts that gain more attention than usual by asking users to like, share or comment are the first in Facebook's downgrade list. That's followed by photos and videos that Pages have already uploaded in the past, and then by links that trick you into clicking through to websites chock-full of ads. The social network says legit Pages that post quality content won't have to worry about anything, but those that intentionally post spam "will see their distribution decrease over the next few months." Unfortunately, Facebook friends fond of posting spam still get off scot-free, so you'll just have to tell your gramps to turn it down a notch.
Box announces new features: improved search, file editing and a more social UI (video)
Skydrive, iCloud and Amazon Cloud Drive users have all been treated to upgrades recently, and now Box has announced a bunch of improvements are coming to its cloud platform for businesses. The portal header has been redesigned with a focus on searching and navigating quickly, and you can find other users at your company that bit easier, too. Additionally, Box Edit is ready to drop its beta suffix and, as long as you've got the relevant program installed, you can create files, edit them and save right back to the cloud from within the system. And, if you didn't think the whole experience was social enough, an added 'like' feature for files will help you keep up with the latest trending process docs. The updates are due to roll out "over the coming weeks," but until then, why not let an extremely sincere Box rep walk you through them in the video below.
Facebook for Windows Phone rolls in threaded messaging, tagging, kitchen sink
Some have called Microsoft's Facebook app for Windows Phone a red-headed stepchild to the Android and iOS darlings, but it's making up for lost time in good fashion with a 2.5 update. Those who live a Metro life now get full Facebook conversation threads with group support, so they're not left out of the loop when a friend mentions the pub he wanted to visit two days ago. Along with this more conversational addition, it's now possible to tag a friend or a place in a post using plain "with" and "at" statements, and the seemingly inescapable Like button has reached comments for Windows Phone owners. There's more control over posts and active post links in the mix as well, so you'll find a surfeit of social mingling when you update at the Windows Phone Marketplace link below.
Google+ gets baked-in YouTube functionality, seeks your +1s
Suffice it to say, Google's been steamrolling through its services this week and laying down a variety of updates and goodies. Just a day after its short-lived Gmail iOS app was released, Mountain View's veered its wheels toward the "pluses" in its portfolio. To start, Chrome users will find two new extensions, including a +1 button and a Google+ Notifications box, to more easily mark their favorite sites, while those loyal to Internet Explorer can update their Google toolbar for a similar effect -- sadly, there's no such love for Firefox at the moment. Moving on to its social front, Google has finally enabled native YouTube support in Google+. While on G+, you'll notice a YouTube slider near the right, which when clicked pops up a video module (seen above). From it, you and your circles can quickly share your favorite viral videos and view playlists, which Google says are currently being added to G+ search results. Sure, we're still anxiously wishing for things like Twitter integration, but ya gotta start somewhere, right? You'll find a shot of those extensions below, and more details at the source link.
Bing's 'friend effect' search tool uses Facebook 'Like' button to affect your results
If you'll recall, Google has been pushing social integration into its search algorithm quite aggressively for the past few months; lest we forget the versatile +1 button. Not to be out done by Team Google's spider-crawling and link-snatching ways, Microsoft has announced full-on Facebook integration for Bing. They're referring to it as, the "Friend Effect." So, what's the difference? While Google's approach aggregates its standard search results with shared content from the social networks you've manually linked to your account, Bing's approach relies upon the ol' Facebook "Like" button. Basically, Microsoft found that most people usually want opinions from friends and family before they make a decision on something. So by including friends' and families' Facebook-based Likes in the search results the company lets you know their input without ever having to ask. At the same time, Microsoft has added a universal like button to the Bing Toolbar that you can use to mark your approval on anything you find on the web, which in turn, can help out your friends' searches in a socially, antisocial kind of way. Bing uses "Collective IQ" of the internet hive-mind to optimize search results should your friends lack opinions about your interests. Bing's Friend Effect search integration is pretty interesting stuff, and it could definitely offer a compelling alternative to Google's social search approach if your Facebook "friends" can truly be classified as such. Check out the videos after the break if you want more detail, and be sure to let us know what team you're on in the comments below.
Facebook Like button rubber-stamped into physical meme
Just like Agent Smith, Facebook is starting to escape its original programming and enter the corporeal realm. This doomsday device has been concocted by a design studio that clearly knows not the wider implications of its fanciful little rubber stamp. Ah well, you can register your interest in this harbinger of the apocalypse at the source link below.
