Facebook Will Bury Posts That Specifically Ask People to Like or Reshare

Apparently Facebook does not like the smell of desperation.

The company announced a few modifications to its News Feed in a blog post Thursday afternoon. The changes will regulate “like-bait” posts, reduce the number of repetitive images you see, and crack down on spammy links.

Per the announcement:

“People and Pages on Facebook frequently reshare great content, but people tell us there are occasionally instances where photos or videos are uploaded to Facebook over and over again. We’ve found that people tend to find these instances of repeated content less relevant, and are more likely to complain about the Pages that frequently post them.”

So here’s what’s going to change:

1. Like-baiters will be punished.For those of you who are unacquainted with this irksome social media technique, like-baiting is when a brand specifically asks you to like, share, or comment on its post. As in, “Like this post if you’re excited for Mad Men tonight!” It’s the digital equivalent of walking into a crowded room, saying something completely unremarkable, and then asking everyone to give you a pat on the back for it.