Facebook Reels allow users to create and share short-form video content similar to TikTok or Instagram Reels. Users can like, comment, and share reels just as they would with regular posts. However, Facebook has not yet introduced a “dislike” button for reels. While you cannot actively dislike a reel, there are some workaround ways to essentially “dislike” a reel on Facebook.
Why is there no dislike button for Facebook reels?
Facebook has not yet implemented a dislike button for any types of posts, including reels. This is likely an intentional choice to cultivate a positive community and minimize negativity or cyberbullying on the platform. Pressing “like” activates the brain’s reward centers, while pressing “dislike” may have the opposite effect.
Some other social media platforms like YouTube and Reddit do have downvote or dislike buttons. However, Facebook has resisted adding this feature over concerns about how it could impact user experience and mental health. They seem to prefer using algorithms to surface more relevant and engaging content over having users directly rate posts.
How to essentially “dislike” a Facebook reel
While you cannot officially dislike a reel on Facebook, there are some workarounds to essentially accomplish the same effect:
Unfollow or snooze the creator
If reels from a particular creator consistently show up in your feed that you do not enjoy, you can unfollow that person or page. This will prevent all of their future content, including reels, from appearing in your feed.
Alternatively, you can snooze their posts for 30 days. This temporarily hides posts from that person without fully unfollowing or unfriending them. After 30 days, their content will show up in your feed again unless you choose to snooze them once more.
Hide or block the reel
You can tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of an individual reel post. From there, select “Hide post” or “Hide all from [creator]”. This will remove that specific reel from your feed or hide all future reels from that creator.
If you want to go a step further, you can block the creator altogether. This will make all of their posts and reels invisible to you.
Post a critical comment
Leaving a polite but critical comment on the reel is one way to provide feedback to the creator that you did not enjoy their content. You can explain what you disliked about it and offer suggestions for improvement.
Keep in mind that hostile or abusive comments are against Facebook’s Community Standards. But constructive criticism and debate are allowed in comments.
Click “Show me less like this”
When a reel shows up in your feed that you don’t like, click the three-dot menu and select “Show me less like this”. This will signal to Facebook’s algorithm to display fewer reels of that type.
Over time, your feed preferences will be tailored more to the types of reels you consistently engage with and enjoy watching. The algorithm will pick up on your distaste for certain reels and should adapt.
Other ways to influence the reels you see
Beyond reacting to individual reels you dislike, there are some general practices that can improve your reel feed over time:
Like and comment on reels you enjoy
Being active by liking, commenting on, and sharing reels that you find interesting or entertaining will encourage your feed to surface more of that desired content.
Facebook picks up on these signals to understand your tastes and preferences when curating your individualized reel feed.
Follow hashtags and creators you like
Exploring hashtags related to topics you enjoy and following creators that consistently produce reels you like are other ways to mold your feed. The algorithm will pick up on these interests and look for more relevant reels to show you.
Adjust your interests in settings
You can update your Facebook interests in your account settings. Adding or removing topics adjusts the types of posts you see across Facebook, including which reels appear more frequently in your feed.
Provide anonymous feedback to Facebook
If you consistently see irrelevant or low-quality reels, you can send anonymous feedback to Facebook via the app menu > Help Center > Send Feedback. This provides input to improve their recommendation systems.
Should Facebook add a dislike button?
There are reasonable arguments on both sides of this debate:
Reasons to add a dislike button
- Lets users provide negative feedback rather than just positive
- Could improve relevance of recommended content
- Provides more insightful data on user preferences
- Adds symmetry alongside the like button
- Useful for flagging inappropriate content
Reasons to keep disliking unavailable
- Avoids negativity and cyberbullying
- Maintains positive community sentiment
- Disincentivizes dislike attacks or bandwagoning
- Reduces social comparison and envy
- Encourages constructive feedback over criticism
Conclusion
While Facebook has not yet added a distinct dislike button, users do have options to provide signals that essentially serve as disliking a reel: unfollowing creators, hiding posts, leaving constructive criticism, and updating feed preferences.
Facebook seems unlikely to implement dislike buttons soon across the platform. But providing anonymous user feedback may help improve reel recommendations in the meantime. Essentially disliking reels can help shape your feed and avoid content you don’t enjoy.