I just got into a relationship. Like. The sun is out. Like. I just got into a bike accident and broke my arm. Like. If you know Facebook you know what this means.

Clicking “Like” on a friend’s post can show support. The creator of the post can then see who “Liked” them and contact that user if desired. It is also a way for advertisers to sell products and services. Clicking on the “Like” button may seem meaningful to some, but in reality it is a communication cop-out and a marketing ploy.

According to Practical Ecommerce, a website helping small businesses develop their online presence, Facebook users who press the “Like” button are “more engaged, active and connected than the average Facebook user.” Students click on the “Like” button to support their friends but rarely leave a comment. They also use Facebook more often to see if their posts were “Liked.” It’s a tool for users to see that friends and family are reading their posts.

However, “Like” avoids meaningful communication. Last month my mom posted this comment: “My dad passed away on Tuesday and I’m going to his funeral next week. My family and I will miss him deeply.” Five people clicked on “Like” under her comment. She was confused. Were these people expressing that they “Liked” that he died? Did they “Like” that she was going to his funeral? Or did they “Like” that the family would miss him deeply?

The “Like” button has made users lazy. One young man confessed that clicking the button was just something to do. While he didn’t have any negative intentions, it’s rude to click “Like” without thinking about the post or writing a personal response. Would you like to find out that your friends clicked “Like” on your posts because they were bored?

Advertisers are using the “Like” button as a way to gather demographic data from users. Practical Ecommerce says, “Likers click on 5.3 more links to external sites than the typical user.” In addition, once a user clicks the “Like” button they are added to an organization’s fan base and can be sent messages whenever the company pleases.

The New Yorker online charges users to read articles. But recently it attempted to gain a new fan-base on Facebook by offering a free essay by Jonathan Franzen. The catch: users had to go click the “Like” button to read it.

Even the White House is getting in on the action. It held a town hall meeting on Facebook April 20 strictly by invite. How? Users had to press the “Like” button.

The best solution is to get rid of the “Like” button. Allow users to comment on the post or not. If you don’t comment, your family and friends aren’t going to think any less of you.

Instead of advertisers posting ads to a user’s wall, create a tab on a user’s profile that links to a list of organizations. Users could add groups they like to a favorites’ tab to view when they desire. Facebook could only be ad free if they charged a low monthly fee. Although people don’t like to pay for things, especially online content, I think most users would rather rarely or never see ads.

Facebook is a social networking site. Not a place for magazines, artists or advertisers to find customers. It is supposed to be a place for social interactions, expressing yourself and reacting to others posts. Not for lazily clicking a “Like” button.