Instagram hides ‘likes’ from more users

After a successful trial in Canada, Instagram has hidden ‘likes’ on its platform in Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland and Italy. According to Instagram’s parent company, Facebook, the aim of the trial is to verify whether the absence of likes “reduces pressure” on users, following criticism about Instagram’s impact on users’ self-esteem and mental health.

From Thursday on, users from these countries will no longer be able to see the overall number of likes on individual posts. The owner of the account will, however, still be notified whenever someone hits the like button. No changes for businesses and influencers using the platform either, as they will still have access to the same engagement metrics.

“We hope this test will remove the pressure of how many likes a post will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love,” said Facebook’s Director of Policy for Australia and New Zealand, Mia Garlick, in a statement.