Instagram to begin a new test around hiding Like counts on users’ posts, following its experiments in this area which first began in 2019. This time, however, Instagram is not enabling or disabling the feature for more users. Instead, it will begin to explore a new option where users get to decide what works best for them — either choosing to see the Like counts on others’ posts, or not.
Users will also be able to turn off Like counts on their own posts, if they choose. Facebook additionally confirmed it will begin to test a similar experience on its own social network. Instagram is testing the new concept starting Wednesday. It will likely roll out to everyone in the next few weeks. Facebook, which owns Instagram, also plans to give users the option to hide “likes.” “We’re testing a new option that lets you decide the experience that’s best for you,” Facebook said in a statement. Originally, the idea with hiding Like counts was about reducing the anxiety and embarrassment that surrounds posting content on the social network. In 2019, Facebook and Instagram each began hiding tallies for small groups of people in separate experiments to see what happens when social pressure to rack up “likes” goes away.
