UPDATE: Instagram to Test the Hidden Likes Function Worldwide
The social media platform aims to become “the safest place on the Internet.”
UPDATE (November 15, 2019): Instagram has announced that its hidden likes feature will now be tested on accounts worldwide. Users who will be included in the trial will no longer see the total number of likes and views on photos and videos that other users get, but will still be able to see their own statistics on their own account.
Trails have already been tested in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. Despite its success in other countries, the social media platform is “continuing our test to learn more from our global community.” Let us know if your account has been chosen to be a part of the trial in the comments below and if you like the new feature or not.
Starting today, we’re expanding our test of private like counts globally. If you’re in the test, you’ll no longer see the total number of likes and views on photos and videos posted to Feed unless they’re your own. pic.twitter.com/DztSH0xiq2
— Instagram (@instagram) November 14, 2019
UPDATE (November 11, 2019): Announced back in July, Instagram tested out its hidden likes feature on a selected group of countries worldwide. This week, Wired has reported that the social media platform will begin testing the new feature in the United States.
CEO Adam Mosseri unveiled the news during San Francisco’s WIRED25 festival and said:
“It’s about young people. The idea is to try to ‘depressurize’ Instagram, make it less of a competition and give people more space to focus on connecting with people that they love, things that inspire them.”
Users have mixed reactions in regards to this new change despite Instagram’s aim to become “the safest place on the Internet.” Some people pointed out that likes are a way for influencers to keep track of their data for business purposes, while others personally enjoy knowing how many likes their post gets. Let us know what you think of this new function in the comments below.
Stay tuned while we wait for more details. In related news, did you hear that Facebook has rebranded to “FACEBOOK?”
WATCH: Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announces that the platform will start hiding likes for US audiences starting next week. It’s the latest step in Instagram’s quest to become the safest place on the internet. https://t.co/BGkMG57rdk #WIRED25 pic.twitter.com/WNTyAPVhaD
— WIRED (@WIRED) November 9, 2019
UPDATE (July 18, 2019): Last May, Instagram had announced the elimination of showing the number of likes on posts specifically for users in Canada. However, starting from today, the social media platform has revealed that it is currently running the test on these seven countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand.
The purpose of the trial is to tackle users’ low self-esteem issues, especially for Generation Z. “We hope this test will remove the pressure of how many likes a post will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love,” says Mia Garlick, director of policy at Facebook Australia and New Zealand.
People will still be able to view the number of likes they get on their own posts, but their followers won’t be able to access that information. Find out what the public thinks of the new feature on Instagram’s Twitter account below:
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 (@instagram) July 17, 2019
ORIGINAL STORY (May 1, 2019): The Likes feature that Instagram has relied heavily on throughout the years to engage users is slated to be hidden. According to TechCrunch, the social media platform has its eye set on trying this out solely in Canada. The test would mean that a post creator can still view the Likes, but their followers cannot.
TechCrunch also reports that Instagram has also recently revamped the profile to “make follower count less prominent,” according to Adam Mosseri the app’s Head of Product. The report breaks down that Like totals would still effect how the algorithm ranks a post, in the feed. If launched, the change would shift Instagram into a platform that depends solely upon “self-expression.” This could provide the extra push for users to not measure themselves in comparison to friends and influencers.
In an official statement, an Instagram spokesperson shared more about the upcoming plan:
“Later this week, we’re running a test in Canada that removes the total number of likes on photos and video views in Feed, Permalink pages and Profile. We are testing this because we want your followers to focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get.”
A small percentage of Canadian users will become aware of the change via a notice at the top of their feed. It will read: “a change to how you see Likes.” This announcement was rolled out along with a few different product debuts at the Facebook F8 conference.
Stay tuned here as more news emerges.
Updated by Pauline De Leon on November 11, 2019.
Updated by Pauline De Leon on November 15, 2019.
