Instagram has just announced that they’re running a test that would make the likes one gets on their photos invisible.
The company began testing this in Canada in a move to help reduce pressure to rack up the likes on the platform. Likes, which appear as hearts on Instagram, are often used as a measure of popularity.
The test removes the total number of likes on photos and videos, but the owner of the account will still be able to see them. Likes will not appear on the main feed, profiles or permalink pages.
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
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
For some users, not getting enough likes can impact their self-esteem. According to a recent report by the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom, Instagram is the most detrimental social networking app for young people’s mental health.
Many users have used the app as a validation. In Kenya, according to latest social media survey, it’s the third most used network after WhatsApp and Facebook.