Facebook Fan

Definition - What does Facebook Fan mean?

A Facebook fan is a user who likes a particular Facebook page. Users who "Like" a page are able to receive updates from that page's administrator through status updates, posted content and event invitations. A list of pages a fan has liked will appear on his or her profile page.

The term the fan was replaced by "Like" in 2010. Now fans "Like" a page and this is shown on their profile rather than that they are a fan.

Techopedia explains Facebook Fan

In 2010, Facebook explained the change in terminology from "fan" to "Like":

"To improve your experience and promote consistency across the site, we've changed the language for Pages from Fan to Like. We believe this change offers you a more light-weight and standard way to connect with people, things and topics in which you are interested."

Liking a page is not the same as liking a piece of connect because this action connects the users to that page, allowing them to receive updates from the page's administrator. "Like" was chosen over "fan" because it is a more inclusive term that encompasses the wide range of Facebook pages, many of which extend beyond brands and bands; on Facebook, people can "Like" just about anything, including sleeping, pickles and the immune system.

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