Users criticise Facebook update

By Dan Freedman
Newsbeat reporter

Facebook made its last changes in September last year What do you think about the new Facebook layout?

More than a million people have now voted against changes to the social networking site Facebook.

The new look site puts more focus on status updates and has been likened to one of its rivals Twitter.

Users have voted overwhelmingly against the new format in an online poll on the site with 94% disliking the changes.

Twitter usage has grown 1,689% in the last year but is dwarfed by Facebook which has more than 175 million users compared to Twitter's 1.78m.

Speaking to Newsbeat earlier this month, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg defended the changes.

He said: "It doesn't change that frequently and that's the kind of thing you want to have an open dialogue about with users.

"We trust that with an open dialogue our users will get us to the right place."

Users 'unhappy'

Radio 1 listeners have been commenting on the story since the changes were made and most are not happy.

Pink Kerry in Plymouth said: "I hate the new Facebook layout. It's complete rubbish.

"What was wrong with the way it was before and why weren't we given the option to choose whether we wanted the new layout or not?"

Jenny in Maidenhead agrees. She said: "If I'd wanted to sign up for a Twitter style networking site then I'd have signed up for Twitter."

But Jonathan in Cumbria reckons we'll grow to love it. He said: "The new Facebook is like anything, people just don't like change.

"After the last time they changed it there was an uproar like this, but everyone grew to accept it."

The new site relegates photos and videos into the background, mixing them with adverts.

Users receive status updates from all their friends on their homepage in a continuous stream.

'Listening carefully'

In a statement to Newsbeat, a Facebook spokesperson said: "The new Facebook home page is one step in the continued evolution of the site, designed to give people more ways to share and filter all types of content, such as status updates, photos, videos, notes and more.

"We are grateful to have 175 million people worldwide using Facebook to connect with the people and things they care about most, and we take their feedback very seriously.

"We are listening carefully to what people are saying about the new home page through a variety of channels — including through a popular application, built by outside developers on our platform, that allows users to vote and express their opinion.

"Also helpful have been the many comments we're reading on industry blogs, the Facebook company blog, Mark Zuckerberg's public profile, Facebook user groups, and through the link on the Facebook new home page tutorial.

"We encourage people to send us constructive, detailed feedback and are committed to using it to inform how we build and improve the site for everyone."