I think I just identified a pretty major bug in Facebook's 'Like' button, which allows webmasters to write data on FB's social graph, which cannot be 'deleted' *if* they should they make a mistake when they initially implement the code into their website.

And due to the way FB presents the tool and the code generator to the public, many webmasters do not read the docs (and just add the cut and paste code) and fail to add the meta tags required to admin the tool... which causes permanent problems later, if they ever want to admin the tool. In fact, most webmasters with this issue dont even know there an admin panel should have been dynamically generated for them when they first added the code, which they forever locked themselves out of.

They post will probably be deleted soon... because 'stickied' threads in the developers' forums tend to do that... but here is the most current status of the issue:

http://forum.developers.facebook.net/viewtopic.php?pid=263145

...this is a pretty major bug, imo. They need to stop the bleeding by getting a note on that 'Like' Button Code Generator asap, then trying to figure out a way they can remap the admins to the domains.

But now they have an issue with authenticating the admin really has the website's permission to admin their tool... and that's a little sticky. I suggested they email the 'tech contact' listed in the whois of the domain in question. Otherwise you have a hijacking risk.

Another issue is simply that the easiest solution may involve deleting the data associated with the fan's actions, which means people waiting for the solution will eventually have their count go back to zero. And webmasters don't get enough loves as is so I doubt they will take losing all their hard won contacts without a bit of a backlash. Especially when many are bloggers. I guess we'll see what they say Monday.

Anyway, thought you might be interested in following this.

Take care,
Rob

Hey, is this Facebook "Like" thing a Wordpress plugin? Where did you get it? I'd like to try it on my blog.

Well Facebook has done it again!!! Check out your LIKE button, they've got illegal pharmacy and Viagara ads next to the like buttons. But they dont work properly because its an iframe. I can't believe they have stooped this low. I am so sick of facebook!! This takes the cake.

I installed it as well, but not too impressed with the results. If my fb-friends like a cheese, e.g. http://www.cheesewiki.com/gouda, it doesn't show on my fb-homepage. So no extra traffic there. Also, I don't see an overview of all the pages that are liked.

I see no point in installing it. I have had a lot of success with Facebook as a networking tool but as more and more people start loving it, I find myself using it less and less. So far I see a cycle all social platforms seem to go through. They grow to their peak and then become sh*t over a short period of time. I see FB going the way of Myspace. It was great back in the day, but I haven't logged on to my Myspace account in I don't know how long. I see no point. That's where FB is headed.

I did!! 2 days after I installed the Like Button, I got the highest # of visits on my blog 5 days in a row, than any other individual day in the past year.

And when I checked my stats, I saw that 30% of those visits were thanks to NetworkedBlogs & the Like button.

Hitting the like button = shows up in the home feed of every one of your FB friends = more people see it, get curious = more clicks.

So yeah, it's working well for me... so far! It's only been a week but I'm pretty stoked at what's happened so far.

Tia @TiaSparkles

I think this will start to show much better results once people get a little more used to it. And from a bloggers perspective, it seems like a win-win to me. Obviously it's nice if someone leaves a comment on my blog, and it's even nicer if they decide to share my article with others. But let's face it, many people just don't have/take the time to do either. But if they're on facebook, they're already conditioned to hit that "like" button for stuff they enjoyed but don't have anything to say about it. I don't see the downside to having a link to my blog post show up on their wall.

David, good point, some may say the same about the Twitter retweet buttons. I would have to say it would be up to the individual on their focus on there usage of the accounts. I have found that Twitter is largely used as a business contact, niche related social media. As with Facebook it seems to be on a more personal setting, you know friends, friends of friends and so on, not that it can not be setup to encompass your business contacts, but most use it as a friends contact. I don’t know if Aunt Sally knows how to use the share button, or if she cares. In that case how many know how to use any of the buttons, except for the people using them. I would have to say that the retweet button is the most popular with me anyway it is a great way to promote your post, now how many other readers use the button, well your guess if good as mine, as for Facebook shares, it is just letting my personal friends know of a new post. Not that this may not change, it is all about education at this point. Here is a good post idea, how often and how many times do you retweet a post, before it is played out.

Personally I like the button, and I'm seeing a few of my friends 'liking' websites more often, we'll see how it goes, either way it's going to take over the functions for websites such as games website for things like 'Like this game' - Maybe it'll take over stuff like that, either way I still 'like' the button at the moment.

To me, it was a great idea but whether it is useful or not depends on your article. If your readers like it, most likely the will click the LIKE button. As long as it doesn't messing up your page I don't see any disadvantages providing the LIKE button.

In my opinion, keeping the "Like" button is a fantastic idea. Even if it doesn't catch on for three years, you'll get exposure from those who share with their friends, plus you'll get recognition. When people try encouraging others about why they need this "Like" button, they could say, "And bloggers like David Risley (linking to you) use it". That's free traffic, my friend

I think everyone has a higher tendency to click the Like button when they're actually in Facebook. It's just what I noticed.

The Youtube friends button....thats useless!

Until lately facebook has been my main source of traffic, im now getting picked up so things are changing, but I like the 'like' button and people are starting to use it to spread the word, its so easy to do, easier than tweeting even and shares your content with lots of people. heres my example http://talktorbay.com/torbay-holiday-helpers-network-news-2, 23 others 'liked' it, ok its not earth shattering, but its not even my post, another authors post but has started to get 'liked'.
I havent noticed any slow down at all.

I would use the LIKE button only if the post serves a commen interest OR if i expect that my friends will click LIKE too!

Slowed my blog load times too much. So for me it is less than worthless.

One of the big problem with the "Like" button is, that all the things you like will actually be listed on your public page (the one you can find in google) and it looks like there is no way to set your "Likes" to be only accessible by your friends.

I too have considered removing the button, but thought I should give it another 10 days or so to see if it catches on. It is ignored on most sites as you nearly always see the " Be the first..." offer. I think the results are modest at best so far, at least from what I have seen.

Honestly, I'm not interested in the Facebook "like" button at all. It just seems like a really strange thing to do. As much as Facebook wants the whole internet to turn into a "greater Facebook" network, it isn't. When I'm reading a blog, I'm not on Facebook. If I like a blog post, I comment or share on twitter.

Facebook for me just isn't what I think of sharing with.

Not sure yet if it's worth the space it takes up, but I do enjoy hitting the Like button when I read someone's post. It's a quick and easy way to help promote a post I've read... Oh yes, and I leave a comment too. I'm not lazy. haha

I haven't even tried it yet. I've seen it on other blogs but I just thought it was for those bloggers who has a Facebook fan page.

You know, this goes along with some research I was doing on podcasting. I've heard of some folks adding them in lately, but since I'm pretty new to blogging, I was wondering what the demand was for it. I checked google trends...and it seems to be one the downswing big time since like 2005. So, why bother.

I kind of like using the "like" button. It's a way to get noticed on someone's FB account without having to type an entire comment.

Just a thought,
Brandon

It is not big at the moment but I think it will catch on, people over rate the retweet me button, half the time people retweet without actually having gone to your blog. I think it will catch on and that it is a truer reflection of your likeability than the retweet button but doesn't get any where near to comment interaction

Hey David, came here from Nathan Hangen, you know, that weird guy...

Anyways, I added the like button to my blog just a couple days after Facebook announced it. My blog isn't super popular so I haven't really noticed much, just a few likes here and there. The retweet button is far more popular however and see a lot more use of that.

Funny how you talk about the like button not working so great and you now have 9 likes, including mine LOL

It's certainly slow. Check out the "Like Box" for Facebook pages which is a little more useful if you run a Facebook page and want to build up fans (oh wait, they're not called fans anymore, we're all "likers" now. go figure)

Gotta agree with you on all points above. Since they made the change from "Become a Fan" to "Like" it has also stalled growth of my fan pages: http://www.ryanerisman.com/disliking-the-facebook-like-button

I think it probably will catch on, but one of the problems is when I go to a blog I want to read it and interact with the author and other users. It seems the blogs have so much stuff to click now with tweet, retweet, all the social media sharing icons, etc..

It depends on your audience...I run a Pokemon TCG site and not many people that go on it use Twitter (so the retweet me button is useless), but a lot of them do use Facebook.

Did you have the Share Button on here along with the like button? That might be why it didn't get clicked on...

I think the Like Button is nice because it requires no effort to click. If the viewer only Likes and doesn't type in a comment, then it isn't very visible on their Facebook, but at the very least it serves as social proof on your site by the number of Likes that show up.

Think of it this way...some people might just Like a post and not want to share it, but others will Share it, so your "Like count" will show the total of both numbers, which would be higher than if they were just shares.

I'd take those extra numbers in a heartbeat, why wouldn't you take them?

Edit: Also why are people Liking this post...seems contradictory. ;)

I really haven't used it. So I can't say whether it would work on my site or not. Though I just think it is a big failure. I normally don't see anyone ever liked it.

See how this already got a couple of likes? Funny..

As with any new to the web ideas, this will take time to catch on...assuming it does.

I also think it will depend on one's audience. If most of your users are Facebook users (and I mean they go to the site at least one every other day or so) they will be more likely to hit the like button thanks to the conditioning of a similar feature that has been on the site at least as long as I have been a member. If they don't Facebook, its not likely to get used at all.

If I notice the button on something I would tweet, I also like it. I don't hit the button every time I see it, because I think that is just silly. I think its an excellent idea that needs time to see where it is going. I don't have the button because the one I tried was messing up some of the look of my pages. I will most likely give it another try in a month or so.

You're right that it will take time to catch on. And it may not. Or at least, where it catches on may be audience dependent, and this may not be a responsive audience for it.

I don't like it because I don't like what Facebook is doing with privacy, and I don't like how Facebook puts me on the horns of a dilemma: every time they want to do something, I'm presented with two distasteful options, and no way to opt out. When that happens, I "opt out" by closing my web browser (or that page). I hate that. Facebook is going down the road Microsoft went, only much further, much faster.

I agree they are making too hard to maintain your privacy. I am just such an open person, I really don't think about that most of the time. I do guard my very personal information, but I don't put anything out over the net that I'd not share with a stranger..which will probably shock anyone who has read how open I am with my status updates and my blogging.

Privacy? Its a blog on the internet, you want coverage and traffic not privacy! If you want privacy write in a diary!!!

We are discussing Facebook privacy NOT a blog per se. Most people who use Facebook have a PERSONAL profile that has details they don't want to share with the entire world. I don't know about anyone else, but I started using Facebook to connect with friends. As I am moving into promoting my blog, I added a Fan Page..from the same account. I don't want to have multiple accounts to manage on any of the services I use or will use to promote my blogging efforts. It would just further complicate life, which I am sure none of us want or need to do.

The like button itself on your blog doesn't effect your facebook account though, if a user clicks like, it then shares your blog post on their profile, it will only show on your facebook account if you click it. So yes if you click on other peoples like buttons it will show on your page thus involving your personal facebook page with your business interests. The solution really is to have a business and private facebook account if you dont want people to see your info. Have you ever use hootsuite? I use it to manage all my facebook and twitter accounts, its really easy and you can separate business and personal. On the other hand, being the personality behind your business or blog is sometimes the best thing you can do, as long as you set your privacy settings on your facebook to friends only, then dont add people you dont know its all good....

Well done getting people to like your post ;)

I saw some sites being slowed down by it, and never got round to installing it myself. After seeing that it doesn't really get much use, I'm leaving it off mine at the moment.

Hey David, I've used it myself on my blog - and like you, I was my only fan ;)

And even if people click on it - have you seen the update it shows on your Facebook account ?

It's tiny.
Useless feature - I hope they improve it.

Mars,
Nice add-on with some details about your experience and what it actually does on the inside.

Thanks,
Brandon

I just clicked it here for the first time. I did not even know what it did and thought you it took you Facebook where you had to login etc..

I've been asking myself exactly the same questions........

If you can't get a few people to even "like" this post, then I'd consider it a lost cause.

I believe people aren't using it because they don't really know what it does. Retweet & share are action verbs that are easily identifiable. But if you "Like" something, does that mean it gets shared in my FB feed? Does it show up on my profile? Can the blogger see that I liked the post on his profile?

If readers can't understand the purpose of the function as simply as possible, I wouldn't expect many to use it.

To add to what Jordan says - I don't see the purpose of the "like" button on *anything* on facebook, let alone blog posts. Fan pages were actually useful and now they're merged together with the pointless "like" feature.

Obviously, we are all missing something here - at least that's what facebook would like to have us believe.