If the ongoing experiment on Instagram is successful, the ability to hide “likes” could be permanent and even extend to Facebook.
Instagram said this Wednesday that it is exploring the possibility of allowing users to hide the counter of “likes” in order to relieve pressure on people seeking approval from others.
If the ongoing experiment on Instagram is successful, the ability to hide “likes” could be permanent and even extend to its owner, Facebook.
“In 2019, we started hiding the ‘Like’ account among a small group of people to determine if it would ease the pressure of Instagram postings,” a Facebook spokesperson told AFP.
“Some people found it beneficial, but others wanted to see the ‘Likes’ counter to track the most popular.”
Posting “likes” on social media posts can be seen as a sign of status or wealth, raising mental health concerns.
Some experts say that the insatiable pursuit of “likes” can be addictive and have devastating effects, especially for the very young.
In their experiment, Instagram allows a small number of users around the world to decide whether or not they want to show the “Like” counter on their posts or see it on content shared by other people.
“We are doing this test on Instagram to start, but we are also exploring doing something similar on Facebook,” the spokesperson said.
Facebook said it has been working with experts to understand how design tweaks – like the one being tested on Instagram – can help users’ well-being by giving them control over how they want to interact with the service.
