With my husband’s passing I had to post an announcement on his Facebook page that he had died. People liked that. At first I assumed people believed my husband was joking (although he would not in such bad taste). As I announced the funeral arrangements people liked those also. On my own Facebook page I told my friends (mostly people I have known for years in real life) that my husband died and some of my struggles. My friends liked those posts.
I realize that Facebook has changed the meaning of the word “like”. I know that there are many facebook people who put out polls that say things similar to “if you like this post you mean cats. If you post a reply you mean the answer is pudding. If you ignore my post you are a jerk”. I am aware that Facebook has made you believe this is the minimum interaction to say that you acknowledge the hurt and offer your support. However, when someone posts something a death, asks for prayers for someone enduring something awful or when the poster claims they went through something horrific then liking that post isn’t appropriate. This isn’t what liking a post means. We use the Facebook term “like” as a verb (generally with the post details being the object). This means someone who likes a post that someone has died enjoys that post, feels favorably toward it or was wishing previously that that the post happens.
Please use the Facebook like button responsibly and ask yourself if you should say you truly like something.