Not every memory needs to be rehashed.
— Facebook user Sean Forbes, in a comment criticizing the Menlo Park social network s new On This Day feature, which, for some people, is dredging up terrible memories. In an article from The Verge, Forbes describes how Facebook revived a 3-year-old post on the anniversary of a friend s suicide. Forbes is not alone; since the feature launched last week, anniversaries of deceased family members and dead pets have also been revived (I can personally vouch for seeing those two on friends News Feeds). It s an awkward situation similar to 2014 s Year in Review feature, which many found to highlight sad news. I was just in shock that this would be the image they d choose, Forbes told The Verge. It s just such an in-your-face reminder of what happened, and it dredges up old memories and feelings. Ironically, that s exactly the point, as Facebook is trying to capture the powerfully engaging emotion of nostalgia. However, it appears an algorithm has yet to be developed to determine which memories are best left alone.
At top: An image of Facebook s On This Day feature. (Facebook photo)
