Instagram is launching a small global test on Wednesday where users can choose whether to hide like counts on their posts or other people’s posts, said the spokeswoman of Facebook.
The photo-sharing site, which is owned by Facebook Inc. Said that this latest test came after seeing mixed responses to its experiments in which it removed likes, commonly used as a measure of popularity.
They also added, “In 2019, we started hiking like counts for a small group of people to understand if it lessens some pressure when posting to the Instagram.”
Facebook is also exploring a similar experience which will roll out in the coming weeks, she said, in response to users calling for more control over how they interact with content on the platform. Facebook has previously tested hiding likes on other’s posts in Australia.
Last month, Instagram accidentally hide the likes for a large number of users in what was meant to be a small test, garnering strong reactions. Even some users also viewed it as an important step for the user’s mental health, while others saw it as catastrophic for the creators for partnering with brands.