This is where I show my complete lack of understanding about Social Media, but really, what is the point of a 'like' button?
The web is built on URLs. If you like something and want to share it with people, send them a URL. That's what they're for.
The web is built on URLs. If you like something and want to share it with people, send them a URL. That's what they're for.
Feedback to the author, and crowd-rating for people you don't know.
What do you think the point of HN's up and down arrows are?
In this case, the problem is that people without G+ cannot voice their approval. This is obviously a deliberate ploy to coerce people into joining G+, but motives aside the issue is that Google are forcing people to share when perhaps, some only want to approve.
As people have noted, whilst the frictionless sharing is good for viral marketing, in the long term it's devastating to signal vs. noise. I left Facebook largely because my stream was full of updates from people - good friends, who I enjoy talking to - that said 'John Doe likes this: "Click like for a chance to Win!"'
as an aside, I say 'in theory' because with the millions of 'me too' buttons scattered around the web, in even my modestly small socially networked connections, the S/N ratio has made them near enough useless.