Instagram Disables Views Of Likes In International Test

Instagram is hiding the number of likes on posts.

Instagram has started a test tended to start hiding the number of likes on posts.

At the moment, Instagram users still see a running total of people who have liked a post.

In the trial, users will see a user name "and others" below posts.

Here’s what Instagram looks like with the design tweak.

Instagram users will still be able to see the number of likes their own posts receive.

There is concern social media platforms can contribute to low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy in young people.

Instagram launched a similar trial in Canada in May and the new test is rolling out in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Japan and Brazil, the company told the BBC.

While the company hasn’t said much about how the tests are going so far, it seems they’re going well enough to expand them.

Initially rolled out in just Canada, it’ll roll out to users in six more countries starting today:

• Ireland

• Italy

• Japan

• Brazil

• Australia

• New Zealand

Instagram says it’s “because they want your followers to focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get.”

In other words: when likes are public, people care too much about them. People view it as a metric of success — teasing those who get too few, or buying likes to try to gain admiration.

If a post doesn’t get enough likes, people delete them to make it seem like all of their photos are hits.

In theory, hiding likes from the feed but making them visible to the creator lets people get some sense of what’s working, without having to worry so much about whatever anyone else is taking away from the like count on any given photo.

Do you think this is the real motive for Instagram disabling the view of likes.