Instagram & Facebook Hides Like Counts on Public Posts, Here’s Why?

On July 18th, 2019, the number of likes that use to be displayed over public posts on Instagram vanished from the user’s view. Apparently, Instagram started the test to hide likes to reduce competitive pressure on the platform.

The reason behind this move is revealed by Instagram recently. In order to improve the interaction with the app not with the likes, Instagram released an update and test if the users are focusing on interacting with the app, not on likes. Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, said that users in seven countries could not see what likes other users’ pictures had received or how often other people’s videos had been viewed.

In a quest to become the safest platforms, Instagram and Facebook are planning on hiding the like count on the public posts and rolled out its algorithm to test the same. Instagram first started testing in Canada and expanded its roll-outs to Ireland, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand. Facebook rolled out its update in Australia and soon to widen across the other countries.

WATCH: Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announces that the platform will start hiding likes for US audiences starting next week. It’s the latest step in Instagram’s quest to become the safest place on the internet. https://t.co/BGkMG57rdk #WIRED25 pic.twitter.com/WNTyAPVhaD

— WIRED (@WIRED) November 9, 2019

In tests that have rolled out so far, likes are hidden from public posts in the Feed, on the web, and in profiles. However, you should still be able to see how many likes a post gets — it’s only other people that won’t be able to.