Do it for the gram, but not the likes

Instagram recently began testing a new feature that hides the likes for a post from public viewing. While followers won’t see the total number received, the account owner will.

Many users are likely not keen on the idea, as likes are typically used to show a person or brand’s popularity. The pressure to increase likes is a significant reason for the test. Based on studies, Instagram has been named the most detrimental social networking app for young users’ mental health.

The intent is to encourage focus on content shared, not how many likes it gets.

– Cora Pursley, 360 Media, Inc.