Instagram to experiment with letting users chose to hide ‘Likes’

Instagram is experimenting with letting users hide the ‘Like’ count on their posts, as per reports.

The app will test the new option with a set of users, letting them choose whether or not would they like to hide the like count for themselves. The Facebook-owned photo-sharing platform had begun experimenting with private like counts in 2019, TechCrunch reported.

Last month, a bug had led to Instagram accidentally hiding the like count for many users which had garnered strong reactions. Instagram, building on the feedback, is neither enabling nor disabling the feature for all users; but instead will let users choose if they wish to hide the like count on their posts.

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The platform had begun the experiment with hiding like counts to help users by reducing the anxiety and embarrassment related to posting content on the platform, especially young creators. This was to help manage the pressure to be “popular” or get enough likes, as per an Engadget report.

However, during the test, many agreed that disabling the like count all together could be harmful to creators who rely on engagement metrics to partner with brands and advertisers.

Hence, Instagram — in its new experiment — will provide the option to the users to choose if they wish to display the like count or not.

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The platform has not provided further details about how long the new tests would last or if and when will it roll out the option more broadly.

Separately, Facebook will also begin testing the feature soon, as per reports.

“We’re testing this on Instagram to start, but we’re also exploring a similar experience for Facebook. We will learn from this new small test and have more to share soon,” a Facebook company spokesperson told TechCrunch.

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