"Like" what?

            This week’s chapter of “Share This” spent some time looking at Facebook. At this point, after watching The Social Network, we all know (or think we know) everything about Facebook. But have we really thought about the communities the “like” button creates?

            “Likes” create brand awareness and engage your audience. And as I read this all I could think about was Tinder. Tinder is an application where your Facebook is linked to a profile, only sharing your first name and a few photos. From the app you can “like” or “dislike” other users' profiles. Tinder then notifies you if you “like” someone and they “like” you back, from there you can message each other.

            What does this have to do with Facebook? When you link your Tinder to your Facebook, which is the only way to make a Tinder account, it allows you to see your common interests with other users. These interests are based on your Facebook “likes.”

            So if another user has 11 common interests with me, I give them a “like” because it sounds like they’re my kind of person. I also give people a “like” if one of our common interests is the band A Day To Remember. Another general rule of thumb about “likes,” if the only common interests I share with someone are Drake, Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi and Buffalo Wild Wings, then we can’t be friends and they don’t get a “like”.

            Not only are Facebook “likes” creating communities on Facebook itself, other applications are building off of them too.