Facebook... now a place to 'like' more than go fanatical

Forget being a fan of your favorite star or brand on Facebook. Instead, what if you just clicked that you "like" Erykah Badu or Disney or the cause of Phoebe Prince, the Irish teen who committed suicide in Massachusetts after being bullied? Because people on Facebook are more likely to click the handy "like" option than to become a fan, the popular social networking site is once again tweaking itself. Why the change? "The idea of liking a brand is a much more natural action than (becoming a fan) of a brand," Michael Lazerow, chief executive of Buddy Media, which helps companies establish their brands and advertise on social networks such as Facebook, told The Associated Press. "In many ways it's a lower threshold."

In other words, get ready to "like" a lot more things instead of being an outright "fan" of them. Just remember that what you say you like on Facebook could be viewed by others. So be careful liking stuff out there. As for the fanatics, they'll have to find other ways to shout about what they love.