Facebook may let you turn off this annoying feature in its latest update
Facebook is testing out changes to a few of its more attention-snagging elements, allowing you to turn off that annoying red notification dot for each individual tab in the company’s mobile app.
This was discovered by app researcher Jane Manchun Wong, who posted her findings on social network Twitter.
Facebook is testing the ability to toggle Notification Dots of the specific tab in the app
This should address the long annoyance of tabs showing notification dots that don't spark joy for the user pic.twitter.com/vtBLkbjKtE
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) June 1, 2019
These little red dots, called Badges, appear on every tab in Facebook’s iOS and Android apps, meaning that even if you don’t care much about your Facebook groups, or even the loathed Watch tab, you’ll constantly have that red dot begging you for attention.
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If you want, you can keep things as they are. No problems. However, Facebook’s current test is about letting you toggle these abilities on and off, wrestling your control back from Facebook’s constant monopoly on your time.
These little red dots have been designed for years to hit a design that is most likely to drag you in. Subconsciously, the dot could represent just about anything and, well, you never know what you’re going to get until you click.
It’s simple, and effective.
However, a recent turn of public opinion towards the way social media can take advantage of its users have seen many tech companies wising up to how they’re catching users in their web, and pulling back on the usage with the aim of letting users make intelligent decisions about the way that they interact with social media.
Facebook isn’t the first company to jump on board, with Apple and Google both launching apps to make you aware of how much time you’re spending on your tiny rectangular time-sponge. You er, you can call them a smartphone I guess.
I, personally, uninstalled the Facebook app because of the constant dots winking away for my attention. If this change sticks, it could tempt me, and many others, back to the fold.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
