Instagram has rolled out a test feature which bans a user to see the amount of likes, or video views a friend’s post has received in selected countries. The countries in which the the feature is being trialled in are – Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand. Selected users have reported their inability to see the number of likes/video views on a friend’s post.
We’re currently running a test that hides the total number of likes and video views for some people in the following countries:
✅ Australia
✅ Brazil
✅ Canada
✅ Ireland
✅ Italy
✅ Japan
✅ New Zealand pic.twitter.com/2OdzpIUBka— Instagram (@instagram) July 17, 2019
According to Instagram, the feature is being rolled out in order to ‘remove pressure’ on users.
“We want your friends to focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get. You can still see your own likes by tapping on the list of people who’ve liked it, but your friends will not be able to see how many likes your post has received.”, Instagram has said.
At the moment, Instagram users see a running total of people who have liked a post. In the trial, users will see a user name “and others” below posts.
Users will still be able to see the number of likes and views their own posts have received.
Instagram is hiding the number of likes on posts in several countries, including Australia and Japan, in order to “remove pressure” on users. There is concern social media platforms can contribute to low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy in young people.
Mia Garlick, Facebook Australia and New Zealand director of policy, said in a statement that ‘the goal is that users feel less judged to see whether this change can help people focus less on likes and more on telling their story”.
Raising the question of the decision’s impact on businesses, Instagram said the test would not affect measurement tools for businesses. And users can still see the list of people who liked other people’s content by clicking into it.
“We’re looking forward to learning more about how this change might benefit everyone’s experience on Instagram”, Instagram has said.
