Does the ‘Facebook Phone Shake’ Really Work?

There is a screenshot that has been making its rounds around social media, and I want to know if it really works.

According to the meme, a recent Facebook update allows you to shake your phone to report a problem or to report a post for violating Facebook's Terms of Service. Just open a post, shake your phone, and a screen will pop up asking you if you'd like to report the post.

I am usually VERY skeptical when it comes to this type of information, so here is what I do: I make certain that no one can see me when I shake my phone (to save myself the embarrassment, of course!).

I shook my phone, and nothing happened. Not. A. Thing.

Others, though, are claiming success.

The screenshot reads:

The recent Facebook update added this new feature for mobile Facebook users. Since this update - many of my friends have landed in Facebook Jail multiple times (yes, that's a real place and there's no fair trial or bail out options!). It seems many of us are accidentally "reporting a problem" and getting our friends thrown in jail.

How can you fix it?

When you're in Facebook, shake your phone around until this shows up. Then slide that "shake phone to report a problem" button to OFF!

It's CRAZY that none of us knew this had been added and that it was automatically ON with the update.

Fix your phones... Let's keep our friends out of Facebook jail! :)

Again, it didn't work for me. Is it because I don't have the most recent update? Is it because I am sooooo gullible that I actually thought it would work?

What makes me skeptical is how the post is written: "many of my friends...", "Facebook Jail multiple times", "many of us are accidentally reporting a problem". Anytime these kinds of generalizations and seemingly inflated incident numbers are used, I am skeptical.

Does it work? Actually: yes.

I walked up the hall and asked some coworkers who have a phone newer than my iPhone 5 (stop laughing - it's what I got) to click on a post and then shake away!

There it is: the "Shake phone to report a problem" button. The second coworker I approached was a doubter (like I was) until she got to shaking.

Again, there it is. It works (unless you have an outdated phone like me!).

So if you want to report any Dumbocrats or Republican'ts, now you can do it with just a shake of the wrist.

Happy reporting!