Seeking “Likes” and social validation has become a serious addiction for a lot of users on social media and, unfortunately, that has removed the focus from high quality content and in a lot of cases places it on what will simply grab users attention and go viral.
As such, Instagram is launching a real-world test of hiding the Like counts on photos and videos.
The test will begin in Canada, where users will no longer be able to see the number of likes on posts by people they follow. Only the person who posted the image or video will be able to see the likes, removing some of the social pressure.
“We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get,” says Instagram in a message displayed to users in the test. “During this test, only you will be able to see the total number of likes on your posts.”
If the test goes well, the Like removal could be rolled out worldwide, helping to end Instagram’s popularity contest.