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A couple weeks ago we wrote about Facebook’s improved profile suggestions however at the time we didn’t notice one thing: Facebook’s recommendation to poke each other. Many people still debate what the purpose of poking is however Facebook appears to be using it as a tool to get users to be more active. What was strange about the recommendations we’ve been sent was that the user who saw them didn’t know the person they were advised to poke.
For some users poking is more of a way to flirt, and for others, poking is a way to say “Hello!” The biggest problem with poking is that it’s the person who receives the poke who ends up interpreting what the meaning is. In April of last year I suggested that poking could potentially spark World War III. So far we’ve yet to see a world war erupt from Facebook poking, but that doesn’t mean the risk has been eliminated!
While we are not sure whether or not Facebook is recommending international users to poke each other, it’s clear that this is being used as a way to encourage updates. At least that’s my interpretation! Ultimately the greatest weakness of poking may also be it’s greatest strength: there’s no way to know what a poke actually was intended for. It’s not like an attachment comes with the poke to say “This poke is because I LOVE YOU!”
For now we’ll have to continue interpreting the poke in our own way, and Facebook will simply suggest that you poke people you know (or don’t know)! Have you been recommended to poke other people or is this a rare case? Thanks to Leora Israel for the tip.
Thank you for this article. That is my interpretation of the word “poke” as used by Facebook here. I have no problem with the word poke. Or they can use “nudge”. <3
This isn’t brand new just now. The day the new Live/News feeds changed I started getting those “poke him” suggestions. And since poking is just stupid and pointless I just ignored. Although after repeatedly hitting the X on poke requests for weeks, I don’t think I’m getting them anymore. Good for me.
I was slightly offended when it suggested to me to poke my mother.
I don’t think Facebook has asked me to poke anyone I don’t know, but it has asked me to poke friends. No thanks!
Also Facebook keeps telling me to suggest someone I work with use an avatar or suggest friends or go back and write on someone’s wall. It says silly things something like “he only has 12 friends, suggest friends to him.”
All of it turns me off.
Yea, i’ve seen facebook suggesting to me to poke folks but i balk. The word poke seems too intrusive and antagonistic and I would hate to be the one to start wwIII.
the latest version of facebook purity, along with hiding annoying application messages and other spam, it also has an option to hide the suggestions box, you can get it and more info via here: http://facebook.com/fbpurity
I would poke only one person just to be a pest and that would be my lying, cheating, gold digger of a sister and that’s the only person I would poke…but I haven’t spoken to her in nearly 5 years and don’t think I’ll start anytime soon…it’s up to her to appologize and pay back what she stole from me that was rightfully mine not hers.