【Unlocking Word Meanings】
今日の単語・フレーズ
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. sympathy / ˈsɪm pə θi / (n.) – the feeling of pity or sorrow for someone who is in a difficult situation
Example: She expressed her sympathy for her team’s loss during the competition.
2. consequence /ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkwen(t)s, -kwən(t)s/ (n.) – an effect or result of an action
Example: Posting negative comments on someone’s photo can lead to bad consequences.
3. demean /di-ˈmēn/ (v.) – to disrespect or humiliate someone
Example: Some people can demean users by insulting them online.
4. brag /ˈbrag/ (v.) – to say or show something with too much pride
Example: He bragged about having several cars through a Facebook photo.
5. thumbs-down /ˈthəmz-ˈdau̇n/ (n.) – a hand gesture showing disapproval
Example: People expressed their displeasure on the site’s changes using a thumbs-down symbol.
【Article】
ニュース記事
Read the text below.
Mark Zuckerberg has explained why a “dislike” button will not be made available to Facebook users.
In his second public Q&A at Facebook’s headquarters, Zuckerberg was asked if a dislike button will be included and revealed that there will be none. Instead of a dislike button, his team is thinking about adding other features that can convey sympathy on sad posts or bad news. The team considered that adding a dislike button has harmful consequences for the users.
Facebook users have long wanted a dislike button to react negatively on posts they dislike. However, Zuckerberg said that Facebook does not want users to demean others through these “dislikes.”
A survey by sweatband.com on 1,793 Facebook users gives a hint on which posts annoy most people. Results of the survey show that 53% of the respondents dislike posts bragging about one’s diet and exercise. Photos showing what the user recently ate are disliked by 45%.
According to Facebook’s former chief technology officer Bret Taylor, users who wanted to react negatively on a post can do so by commenting. He said that the “like” button was introduced to help users react positively on something without needing to say anything. As of now, the closest thing to a “dislike” feature is a thumbs-down sticker in Facebook’s Likes sticker package. Users can post the sticker through a comment or a message.
Facebook’s public Q&A started in November 2014. Zuckerberg said this interaction with the public helped his team get valuable information on improving the social networking site.
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【Viewpoint Discussion】
ディスカッションテーマ
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
· Do you approve of Facebook’s decision to not add a “dislike” button? Why or why not?
· What does having many Facebook likes mean to you?
Discussion B
· Why do you think some people engage in cyberbullying?
· How do you think this habit can be prevented or avoided?
