The “like” button: one of the greatest contributions made by Facebook thus far. With a simple click of your mouse, you can express your agreement or approval or enjoyment of any number of things. Why yes, I do think this picture of you is aesthetically pleasing! Indeed, I did find that Elf quote you selected as your status update quite droll! As readily as the “like” can be allocated to all the pictures and posts that fill your newsfeed on a daily basis, it is still important to use your “likes” sparingly, so that you don’t become as generous with your “likes” as your overly Facebook-active aunt. Here are just a few rules when it comes to using the “like” button:
DO “like” your friend’s new profile picture, because she just put up a new one and it’s a solo shot so naturally she’s anxious that she won’t get a socially-acceptable number of “likes” and you’re a good friend so you’re willing to push her one more “like” towards a successful prof pic.
DON’T “like” your crush’s new profile picture, unless: one, it is a photo that deliberately begs for public reverence (i.e. your crush crossing the finish line of a 5k run, your crush partaking in a clichéd tourist activity while studying abroad in Europe, your crush in a ridiculous costume performing some hilariously absurd act), two, a substantial number of other people have already “liked” the aforementioned picture, and three, your crush is someone you would actually acknowledge were you to see him in public.
DO “like” the dozen or so wall posts you receive on your birthday that are especially notable or funny, such as the birthday song parody your roommates recorded to the tune of “Who Let The Dogs Out” or the collage of unflattering middle school photos your friends from home assembled.
DON’T “like” every single birthday wall post you receive.
DO “like” a particularly humorous comment your friend has made on a wall post or picture posted by a mutual friend, even if that wall post or comment in no way pertains to you, as a way of acknowledging your enjoyment of your friend’s pithy wit.
DON’T “like” a particularly humorous comment your friend has made on a wall post or picture posted by a person you have never met in your life, unless the comment made is truly hilarious, other people have already “liked” said comment so your “like” won’t stand alone, or you are feeling exceptionally creepy.
DO simply “like” a wall post from an acquaintance you don’t know that well if you have no other way to respond to the post and don’t want him or her to feel self-conscious in your lack of public acknowledgment.
DON’T simply “like” a wall post from a friend unless you want him or her to feel like a reject, or unless other people were tagged in the post, in which case acknowledging the comment does not become your sole responsibility.
DO “like” links posted that will actually benefit from your “like,” such as marketing projects or fundraisers.
DON’T “like” links that promise that, with a certain number of “likes,” world hunger can be solved.
DO randomly “like” photos or status updates from friends you haven’t seen in a while in order to acknowledge their Internet presences and remind them that they are in your thoughts.
DON’T randomly “like” photos or status updates from the girl you met at sleep away camp five years ago or your friend’s cousin who you met that one time and decided to friend request on a whim.
DO “like” your friend’s unflattering old profile pictures from when she still had braces and made kissy faces at the camera so that the pictures may appear on everyone’s newsfeeds and bring hilarity to all.
DON’T “like” your crush’s old profile pictures unless you want him to know that you spend your spare time stalking him back to the eighth grade.
DO genuinely “like” status updates from acquaintances that are funny or poignant or delivering significant personal news.
DON’T ironically or passive-aggressively “like” status updates from acquaintances that are not particularly interesting (“only three finals stand between me and winter break!”) or deliver personal news that you really couldn’t care less about (“4.0 GPA this semester. I’m so proud of myself!!!!!”)
DO “like” the exceptionally funny or noteworthy photos your friend posted in her 500-picture album from her trip abroad.
DON’T “like” every single photo in your friend’s 500-picture album from her trip abroad.
DO feel free to “like” anything (but not everything…) that your friends post, whether it is to you, each other, or the Facebook community, because they are your friends and none of your “liking” can be construed as weird.
DON’T accidently/drunkenly “like” anything (or especially everything…) posted by or received by someone that you happen to be stalking, unless you want it to be known to your entire newsfeed that you are a capitol ‘C’ Creep.
Photo Sources:
http://www.creatememe.com/memes/141845/me-post-funny-on-facebook-y-u-no-like/
http://quicklol.com/hilarious-facebook-images/