This archive report was first published on 18 July 2019.
Published on July 18, 2019, Instagram, the Facebook-owned social media giant, has begun a trial in six countries to conceal likes from users' posts, in a bid to reduce pressure and promote mental well-being.
The trial, which involves Australia, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Brazil, and New Zealand, follows an initial test launched in Canada in May.
According to Mia Garlick, Facebook Australia and New Zealand policy director, "We want Instagram to be a place where people feel comfortable expressing themselves. 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."
Although Instagram described the hiding of likes as a "test", no deadline was given for when it would end.
Instagram, with over one billion users worldwide, is a platform that allows users to post images and videos that others can then like or comment on.
However, in the chosen test countries, likes will not be visible on people's profiles, the main image feed, or permalink pages.
While users will still be able to view the total number of likes on their own posts, they will need to click through to another page to do so.
Addressing Mental Health Concerns ¶
Social media giants have faced increased scrutiny over the impact their platforms can have on users, with some research suggesting Instagram can negatively affect the mental health of young people who use it.
A 2017 study by the Royal Society for Public Health ranked Instagram as the worst social media platform for young people's mental health in the United Kingdom.
Additionally, a 2018 survey of teenagers in the United States by the Pew Research Center found that nearly 40 per cent felt pressure to only share digital content that had garnered a lot of likes or comments.
Instagram's latest measure aims to address these concerns, with an Instagram spokesman stating, "We are testing this because we want your followers to focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get. We don’t want Instagram to feel like a competition."
