Instagram users are going to have find other places to get their like fix. The Menlo Park, California-based company announced today (July 17, 2019) that it’s begun experimenting with removing visible likes from posts. Users can choose to see the number of likes a post received, but they won’t be visible to anyone else.
In a statement, the company wrote, “We’re currently running a test that hides the total number of likes and video views for some people for the following countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand.
The company added, “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.”
Feedback under Instagram’s announcement on Twitter was mainly filled with people requesting the platform return to chronological order of posts. Comments addressing the change were mixed. Some suggested the change be optional, while others were thrilled because they saw a loss of likes as one that would cut into the power of influencers. At the same time, those who have built businesses off the power of the heart were mainly disappointed by the change.
Check out Instagram’s announcement below.
