FP TrendingApr 16, 2021 10:28:33 IST
Instagram has recently launched a new test to hide the Like counts on users’ posts, continuing with its experimental series with the app since 2019. The app will give three options to the users: hide likes on others’ posts, turning off likes for their own posts, or keeping the original experience. It is aimed to figure out what users really want. Facebook, following its sister app, may launch a similar test on its social network too. Instagram claimed that these experiments were temporarily paused owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resources and endeavors were diverted to back certain other community causes except for some time in March 2021, where it accidentally hid Likes for some users due to a bug.
A visitor takes a picture of the Instagram application logo. Image: Reuters
An update on like counts.
Last year we started hiding like counts for a small group of people to see if it lessens some pressure when posting to Instagram. Some found this helpful and some still wanted to see like counts, in particular to track what’s popular.
— Adam Mosseri 😷 (@mosseri) April 14, 2021
The experiment is set to roll out to a small portion of the users of the app. They’ll be able to choose posts’ likes you want to hide from everyone else. The existing option of keeping the Like counts visible will still be there, as a response to its users when they criticised the app for flipping the feature “unintentionally” for many users, last month.
We’re testing this on Instagram to start and we’re exploring a similar experience for Facebook too.
More to share about this soon.
— Adam Mosseri 😷 (@mosseri) April 14, 2021
Adam Monsseri, Instagram’s CEO announced the news on Twitter. “Last year we started hiding like counts for a small group of people to see if it lessens some pressure when posting to Instagram. Some found this helpful and some still wanted to see like counts, in particular, to track what’s popular. So we’re testing a new option that lets you decide the experience that’s best for you — whether that’s choosing not to see like counts on anyone else’s posts, turning them off for your posts, or keeping the original experience”, he tweeted.
In subsequent tweets, he revealed that initially, Instagram will test this feature but, it will be introduced to Facebook as well, in the coming days.
