Instagram, owned by Facebook, has begun experimenting with removing public likes from the app. Users will no longer be able to view how many likes others have earned on their posts; instead, they will only be able to see how many likes they have received on their own images.
In May, Instagram began concealing likes in Canada, and the trial has since moved to countries like Japan, Ireland, and Australia. In November, the platform began testing the removal of likes in the United States. The platform has been experimenting with what it would look like if it didn’t have the “like” option, arguing that it will assist to lessen the platform’s negative effects on mental health and societal pressure. The “like” option will not be fully concealed; users will be able to view the amount of likes on their own postings, but not on those of others.
Addictive social media satisfaction:
We all appreciate the feeling of being noticed on the internet by our peers. This is because likes aren’t guaranteed, and it’s the unpredictability that makes it so appealing; if you knew you’d receive 100 likes every time you posted something, it’d grow old fast. Because apps like Instagram have been such a vital part of their development, younger people on social media may be more at risk of relying on this endorphin rush. Also, while senior Instagram users may no longer be concerned about their like count, it’s normal for younger people to remove photographs that don’t get “enough” likes since it’s embarrassing. If likes are hidden, they will no longer feel compelled to do so. They can just keep doing what they’re doing since no one will notice how many people loved it or didn’t.
Depression and social media:
The “like” feature, and the concerns around it, isn’t exclusive to Instagram. It’s something that happens on almost every social media platform: Twitter favourites, Reddit upvotes, and TikTok hearts, to name a few. Many have compared the battle for Instagram likes to an online popularity contest, and regular people aren’t the only ones who have realised how draining it can be to compare likes all the time.
Anxiety, despair, loneliness, bullying, and the fear of missing out have all been connected to social media, particularly Instagram. Instagram has made both minor and major modifications to its platform in the last year in order to make it a safer place for users. It would be fantastic if this did truly reduce some of the competition and, as a result, some of the negative mental health effects associated with self-esteem and mood that have been reported.
