This is how and where you can get the Facebook rainbow reaction for LGBT Pride Month
Facebook has changed its mind on the pride reaction button – but only for some users.
There had been uproar after the social media giant removed the rainbow reaction for users around the world.
Facebook originally introduced the additional flag react for the month of June, which is LGBT Pride Month in the US.
However at the end of the month the option disappeared for all users.
Pride in London takes place this weekend, in July, after the US LGBT Pride Month ended,
Other celebrations in the UK such as Brighton Pride and Manchester Pride take place through to August.
In big cities around the world, such as Berlin and Cologne in Germany, their pride festivals also fall during the summer months – meaning they can’t celebrate with their favourite reaction.
Now there’s some good news from Facebook.
Provided you’re in one of the network’s chosen locations.
A Facebook spokesperson has told PinkNews that users in major cities will have their pride react option returned around the occasions of their LGBT festivals.
The spokesperson told PinkNews: “People in the major cities with Pride celebrations will be able to use a temporary rainbow reaction during local Pride celebrations.
“You can also like the LGBTQ@Facebook page to access the reaction, however, because this is a new experience we’ve been testing, the rainbow reaction will not be available everywhere.”
Facebook couldn’t confirm exactly which cities and prides it considers “major”.
It also appears to not be possible for users to access the reaction by changing their location with Facebook to a location where a pride parade is on.
Users in London reported being able to use the reaction as of Thursday morning, ahead of their pride on Saturday July 8th.
During June it became clear that the site was already hiding its rainbow reactions from users in countries with anti-gay laws.
Users in Egypt, Palestine, Bahrain, Lebanon, Singapore, Russia, among other countries, are unable to access to LGBT flag.
Facebook has not explained its reasoning for withholding the reaction in the countries.
Facebook had choice wording when it launched the reaction, stating: “People in major markets with Pride celebrations will be able to use a temporary rainbow reaction during Pride month.
“You can also like this page to access the reaction, however, because this is a new experience we’ve been testing, the rainbow reaction will not be available everywhere.”
How do you get a rainbow flag put right in between your Love and Haha buttons?
Just go to Facebook’s official LGBT page, like it, and before too long it should be there in your reactions.
If it doesn’t appear immediately, just refresh the page or restart your app.
When it appears, you could become one of the thousands of people who have gone to the Democratic Union Party’s Facebook page and made their feelings clear about the Northern Irish party’s anti-LGBT positions.
There has also been controversy over the availability of the rainbow reactions.
