Poetic Justice? (Facebook related)

[Carly_Roach]

I can't help but feel that this might be a bit of poetic justice to those who are so eager to make judgments on others that they more or less reap what they sow.

http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=9740

Fake dislike button Facebook scamPosted on 16 August 2010. Facebook users should be wary of the latest survey scam spreading virally across the network. There are a number of variations of this scam, which sees users unwillingly update their Facebook status encouraging others to get the "official Dislike button".


The scam is spreading quickly as many Facebook users have been calling for the introduction of an official "Dislike" feature which would allow them to express their opinions on other users' posts, links and updates.

Two versions of the scam have been discovered by Sophos, which involve the sharing of messages with the text:

"I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!! LINK"

and

"Get the official DISLIKE button NOW! - LINK"

The viral scam, similar to many recent survey scams, tricks users into giving a rogue Facebook applications permission to access their profile, silently posting and promoting the link that tricked the user in the first place and spreading the message virally.

At this stage, the user still does not have access to the "Dislike" feature and the application finally asks them to complete an online survey which makes money for the scammers.

"This bogus feature differs from recent scams as those behind it aren't preying on users' curiosity about shocking videos or celebrity scandals. This scam is actually posing as something that many Facebook users want," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos. "Facebook users should think carefully before they click on an unknown link in a friend's status update as these scams are becoming increasingly common. Giving away personal information in a survey and allowing an application access to your profile is extremely risky and Facebook users need to wise up to this rather than just clicking on links that they see, just because they appear to be from a trusted source."

 

[Ceila]

I can't help but feel that this might be a bit of poetic justice to those who are so eager to make judgments on others that they more or less reap what they sow.

http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=9740

From my experience, I don't see how it would be considered "poetic justice" at all. The only references to wishing for a "dislike" button I've ever seen on FB have been when someone wanted to commiserate with a status update and the "like" button just didn't seem appropriate. For example, someone posted that her son needed surgery, and someone commented that they wish there was a "dislike" button.

Perhaps other people have more caustic FB friends who want the button just to be rude, though. I suppose in those cases you might have a point.

 

[luvmy3]

I don't see it as poetic justice at all, there should be a dislike button. If a person wants to use theirs to just be rude there is always the option of un-friending. Not everyone likes whats posted, in fact instead of a dislike, they should just get rid of the like, its just dumb and I don't care to see who likes what when it comes up on my wall.

 

[phorsenuf]

From my experience, I don't see how it would be considered "poetic justice" at all. The only references to wishing for a "dislike" button I've ever seen on FB have been when someone wanted to commiserate with a status update and the "like" button just didn't seem appropriate. For example, someone posted that her son needed surgery, and someone commented that they wish there was a "dislike" button.

Perhaps other people have more caustic FB friends who want the button just to be rude, though. I suppose in those cases you might have a point.

Exactly. I have friends that may post 'Johnny is sick today.' That's when I would hit a dislike button. Not everyone on facebook is quick to judge people, unlike some message boards.

 

[Metsfan520]

From my experience, I don't see how it would be considered "poetic justice" at all. The only references to wishing for a "dislike" button I've ever seen on FB have been when someone wanted to commiserate with a status update and the "like" button just didn't seem appropriate. For example, someone posted that her son needed surgery, and someone commented that they wish there was a "dislike" button.

Perhaps other people have more caustic FB friends who want the button just to be rude, though. I suppose in those cases you might have a point.

I agree with you.

 

[Scurvy]

From my experience, I don't see how it would be considered "poetic justice" at all. The only references to wishing for a "dislike" button I've ever seen on FB have been when someone wanted to commiserate with a status update and the "like" button just didn't seem appropriate. For example, someone posted that her son needed surgery, and someone commented that they wish there was a "dislike" button.

Perhaps other people have more caustic FB friends who want the button just to be rude, though. I suppose in those cases you might have a point.

I agree. Just this morning one of my friends posted that his son had suddenly started throwing up in the car on the way to school, so they were on the way to the doctor instead. I was in a hurry and didn't have time to comment, but I would have hit "Dislike" if there was such a button. I'm sure there are probably people who would use "dislike" in a mean way, just like there are people who click "like" when they read that something bad has happened to one of their friends, but I would think they'd be in the minority.

 

[Carly_Roach]

From my experience, I don't see how it would be considered "poetic justice" at all. The only references to wishing for a "dislike" button I've ever seen on FB have been when someone wanted to commiserate with a status update and the "like" button just didn't seem appropriate. For example, someone posted that her son needed surgery, and someone commented that they wish there was a "dislike" button.

Perhaps other people have more caustic FB friends who want the button just to be rude, though. I suppose in those cases you might have a point.

Based on what I've seen here and on many other boards, the examples they gave in the article are spot-on as to why people would want a dislike button: to tell someone else that they dislike them or they dislike what that person is saying. Like we already don't have enough of that going around already.

I guess that's what I found to be a bit poetic; or perhaps ironic would be the better word. People trying to get a button that allows them to be passive/aggressively nasty to other people getting scammed in the process of trying to acquire that particular button. Very apropos and instant-karma-ish, IMO.

 

[phorsenuf]

Based on what I've seen here and on many other boards, the examples they gave in the article are spot-on as to why people would want a dislike button: to tell someone else that they dislike them or they dislike what that person is saying. Like we already don't have enough of that going around already.

I guess that's what I found to be a bit poetic; or perhaps ironic would be the better word. People trying to get a button that allows them to be passive/aggressively nasty to other people getting scammed in the process of trying to acquire that particular button. Very apropos and instant-karma-ish, IMO.

Well you are only hearing about the bad side of Facebook. And those that are passive aggressive and nasty to others are going to be that way regardless of being on Facebook or not. I really think you are painting all Facebook users with a very broad brush, but that doesn't really surprise me.

So...**dislike**

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Dislike would be useful for a lot. When a friend says that someone let them down, a child is ill, or hurt, or whatever. I see no "poetic justice."

All you have to do if you really dislike someone is to delete them.

 

[Carly_Roach]

All you have to do if you really dislike someone is to delete them.

The equivalent of the DIS ignore perhaps? Agreed.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

exactly.

But better, lol, you don't even see their threads!

 

[KiminChicago]

I recently updated my status on Facebook to let my friends know that my DMIL is very ill and we needed everyone's prayers if they felt so inclined.

One of my friends "liked" my post. Since I know her, I know that she didn't mean she liked that my MIL was ill, but that she would include DMIL in her prayers. If she had been able to choose "Dislike" I would have understood it to mean that she was sorry to hear that things aren't going so well.

I'm sure there will be people who would use a "Dislike" button to be snarky, but there are situations where it really makes sense to have one. I feel sorry for the people who got scammed, they might have had completely innocent reasons for wanting to "dislike" something!

 

[Carly_Roach]

I recently updated my status on Facebook to let my friends know that my DMIL is very ill and we needed everyone's prayers if they felt so inclined.

One of my friends "liked" my post. Since I know her, I know that she didn't mean she liked that my MIL was ill, but that she would include DMIL in her prayers. If she had been able to choose "Dislike" I would have understood it to mean that she was sorry to hear that things aren't going so well.

I'm sure there will be people who would use a "Dislike" button to be snarky, but there are situations where it really makes sense to have one. I feel sorry for the people who got scammed, they might have had completely innocent reasons for wanting to "dislike" something!

I don't use Facebook so maybe this is moot...but in a situation like that where someone is ill, can't a responder simply use a sad face? Like these?

 

[krcit]

Based on what I've seen here and on many other boards, the examples they gave in the article are spot-on as to why people would want a dislike button: to tell someone else that they dislike them or they dislike what that person is saying. Like we already don't have enough of that going around already.

I guess that's what I found to be a bit poetic; or perhaps ironic would be the better word. People trying to get a button that allows them to be passive/aggressively nasty to other people getting scammed in the process of trying to acquire that particular button. Very apropos and instant-karma-ish, IMO.

I think the difference is that Facebook is not anonymous. I don't know that people on here would be so quick to be rude to other posters if they 'knew' the person. At least I would hope so, lol.

I tend to agree with the other posters about the dislike button. I have seen several people comment that they need a dislike button after someone posted something sad or tragic. The only other way I could see using a 'dislike' button would be as a joke if one of my Yankee fan friends posted something like 'The Yankees win again." I, as a Met fan might hit dislike, lol

 

[phorsenuf]

I don't use Facebook so maybe this is moot...but in a situation like that where someone is ill, can't a responder simply use a sad face? Like these?

No, but one could do this. :-(
There are no emoticons on Facebook status'.

 

[NHdisneylover]

From my experience, I don't see how it would be considered "poetic justice" at all. The only references to wishing for a "dislike" button I've ever seen on FB have been when someone wanted to commiserate with a status update and the "like" button just didn't seem appropriate. For example, someone posted that her son needed surgery, and someone commented that they wish there was a "dislike" button.

Perhaps other people have more caustic FB friends who want the button just to be rude, though. I suppose in those cases you might have a point.

This I have never seen people wanting to just dislike others' opinions as the article references. I guess I just have nicer Facebook friends or something

 

[NHdisneylover]

I don't use Facebook so maybe this is moot...but in a situation like that where someone is ill, can't a responder simply use a sad face? Like these?

So if you have never used facebook and do not understand how the like feature really works (you think a smiley can be posted there)--how can you be so quick to judge the situation?

 

[Metsfan520]

So if you have never used facebook and do not understand how the like feature really works (you think a smiley can be posted there)--how can you be so quick to judge the situation?

That's a good point.

 

[phorsenuf]

So if you have never used facebook and do not understand how the like feature really works (you think a smiley can be posted there)--how can you be so quick to judge the situation?

Guess.

 

[Carly_Roach]

So if you have never used facebook and do not understand how the like feature really works (you think a smiley can be posted there)--how can you be so quick to judge the situation?

Easy. I see the Facebook fallout all the time here on the DIS and in real life. I see all sorts of hell caused in people's lives by the use of Facebook and I will never use it myself. If I want drama, I'll turn on the TV or go to a movie to watch professionals do it.

The whole point to my post was that I found it ironic that someone wanting to have the use of a negative word button (dislike) would get scammed by someone else promising them the use of that negative word if they only fill out this form with all their information.

Law of attraction in action.

However, if anyone here reads this thread and doesn't respond to said scam, then I guess this thread will have had the positive affect in serving to warn others of the scam. Win-win.