Late last year it was reported that Facebook was working on a new feature called Reactions, the company confirmed soon after that it was indeed testing the feature and would roll out it slowly if tests proved that this was something its users wanted. Facebook appears to have received a positive response to Reactions emojis which is why it has started to gradually roll them out to more users across the globe.
Reactions are basically Likes on steroids, they eliminate any misconceptions about the message you want to convey when you press a like button. For example, if someone posts about a death in the family, clicking Like on their status might be misconstrued when you’re really only trying to show your support.
Reactions emojis will give users new ways to express their humor, sadness, love and awe on Facebook. It’s not the dislike button that users had been hoping for but at least, it will provide users with the power to properly express empathy and sorrow.
Facebook started testing this feature in Ireland and Spain initially, before opening it up for users in Chile as well. In November last year, this feature had also arrived in Portugal and the Philippines. Starting today Facebook users in Japan will be able to use Reactions emojis on the world’s largest social network,
Facebook isn’t making much of a deal about this gradual rollout, and it’s very likely that it will expand this feature to more countries in a similar manner. As far as users in the United States and the United Kingdom go, they may have to wait a while before Reactions emojis go live for them.