Facebook is expanding the roll-out of its 'downvote' button to users outside the US.

The Reddit-style tool allows people to upvote or downvote posts based on how they feel about particular comments.

The firm claims the purpose of the feature is to flag up inappropriate comments, which it defines as having 'bad intentions or is disrespectful'.

It insists that the feature is not a 'dislike' button and there are no plans for one in the future.

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Facebook is expanding the roll-out of its 'downvote' button to users outside the US. The tool allows people to upvote or downvote posts based on how they feel about particular comments. Pictured is a screenshot of the tool

The feature was first tested in February on five per cent of Android users in the US.

As part of the recent expansion, select users in Australia and New Zealand can now also access the tool.

Facebook has yet to comment on how quickly it will roll out the feature to users globally.

'We are not testing a dislike button', a Facebook spokesperson told MailOnline when it first trialled the feature in February.

'We are exploring a feature for people to give us feedback about comments on public page posts.'

Facebook is rolling out its 'downvote' button for a few users that allows them to signal if a comment is inappropriate or misleading. The company says the new button does not function like a 'dislike' button but works more like a Reddit 'downvote' button

WILL FACEBOOK GET A 'DISLIKE' BUTTON? A Facebook 'dislike' button has been on the cards since 2010. Mark Zuckerberg has previously admitted the site is working on a dislike button - but at the time said it was unlikely to be called dislike. 'We didn't want to just build a Dislike button because we don't want to turn Facebook into a forum where people are voting up or down on people's posts', CEO Mark Zuckerberg said back in 2015. 'That doesn't seem like the kind of community we want to create.' 'What they really want is the ability to express empathy. Not every moment is a good moment,' Zuckerberg said. He continued that people could use a button designed to express negative sentiment in the 'wrong way', that could be deemed cruel or mean. In February 2018, the company trialled its 'downvote' button with a few users, allowing them to signal if a comment is inappropriate or misleading. Although it seems to bring the company closer to having a 'dislike' button, it is not the same thing. The company say this could help them sieve through 'fake news'. Recently, the feature was spotted by users in New Zealand and Australia. Advertisement

Facebook's new tool is similar to that used on Reddit to to reduce the visibility of unpopular posts.

Facebook said the button was being tested to see whether it enabled 'better public discussions'.

During the original testing, downvote counts weren't shown to the public.

However, recent images on Twitter suggest that may no longer be the case.

A pop-up box is now shown to users to explain the feature.

This reads: 'Support better comments.

'Press the up arrow if you think that a comment is helpful or insightful. Your input is anonymous.'

The feature can be seen, for those privy to it, next to the 'like' and 'reply' buttons.

The feature can be seen, for those privy to it, next to the 'like' and 'reply' buttons.

'The 'downvote' tool should be viewed in light of the firm's efforts to change the way people consume news on Facebook, Jack Kent an analyst at IHS Markit told BBC News.

'Given the current debate about Facebook's role in public online discourse and news, it makes sense that the platform is trialling different ways for users to interact with content in a public setting,' he said.

In the previous trial, when the downvote button is tapped, it hides a comment and gives users the option to give a reason why, as seen by screenshots from Christina Hudler, and could help the company sieve through 'fake news'

Mark Zuckerberg has previously admitted the site is working on a dislike button - but at the time said it was unlikely to be called dislike.

'We didn't want to just build a Dislike button because we don't want to turn Facebook into a forum where people are voting up or down on people's posts', CEO Mark Zuckerberg said back in 2015.

'That doesn't seem like the kind of community we want to create.'

'What they really want is the ability to express empathy. Not every moment is a good moment,' Zuckerberg said.

He continued that people could use a button designed to express negative sentiment in the 'wrong way', that could be deemed cruel or mean.

Facebook is holding its annual developer conference this week in San Francisco.