Hater: Diverging From Social Media’s Penchant for Positivity
Todays world of social media is all about self-expression. For consumers, it feels great to be able to show support for products and services from a company they appreciate while also being able to voice concerns. In truth, consumers yield a lot of power through social media. In some sense it would seem that businesses would not be keen on this freedom, but it can actually be beneficial for them. Social media provides businesses with greater opportunities to connect and engage with consumers, market and promote their services or products, all while addressing negative feedback and resolving issues.
Moreover, social media has generally adopted a positive approach to everything. The majority of social websites only give users the option to show favorable opinions. This is evident on social mediums like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest where there is only a like option. If you dislike a status or an image, you simply do nothing or make a comment if you feel strongly enough to do so. People also tend to only portray their best side, capturing and sharing their happy moments in life. Who doesn’t enjoy seeing an adorable baby picture or a hilarious dance video? Its only natural to have an overall positive social presence.
The New Face of Social Media Might Look a bit Piqued
A new mobile app is on the rise that embodies the exact opposite of this trend to positivity and may hint towards a change in the social media landscape. Appropriately named Hater, this app simply allows users to share things they hate. Haters can share text rants or images with the Hater community where other users can then essentially like posts, by disliking them with a thumbs-down. Hater founder Jake Banks intends for it to allow more realistic and open expressions that he deems absent in the social media. In an article posted on Mashable he explained he wanted to make an online application that diverges from the path traveled by most social media tools. For example, if you find yourself in bumper to bumper traffic for an hour, hate on it and let others feel your pain.
While its intended to allow users to simply vent, could applications such as Hater lead to negative repercussions for businesses? Hater provides a designated outlet for disgruntled and dissatisfied customers and invites others to join in on the hating. It is unlike other networks (Instagram being the most comparable platform) where there are far less negative images or expressions than positive ones. In this sense, Hater and apps with a similar nature could potentially prove dangerous to companies if they are not able to adapt and address such changes.
Despite this possibility, the founder of Hater actually has a more optimistic hope for the application. He envisions that in many cases, hating on a negative occurrence or item will help generate awareness and foster grounds for positive change, something he referred to as hate for good during an interview with the Wall Street Journal. On a personal level, whether you decide to be a liker or a hater, keep in mind the impact it may have. Venting and sharing frustrating moments can definitely be stress relieving and even funny, so if users are able to do so justifiably without harming others, hate on.