The accounts included in the test won’t be able to see like counts on other peoples’ posts, but will be able to see them on their posts, the Instagram announcement reads.
Starting today, we’re expanding our test of private like counts globally. If you’re in the test, you’ll no longer see the total number of likes and views on photos and videos posted to Feed unless they’re your own. pic.twitter.com/DztSH0xiq2
— Instagram (@instagram) November 14, 2019
The move is aimed to de-incentivize Instagram users from making posts only for the sake of gathering the most likes. Instagram noted that it is “actively” considering other ways creators can “communicate value to their partners.”
In addition, we understand that like counts are important for many creators, and we are actively thinking through ways for creators to communicate value to their partners.
— Instagram (@instagram) November 14, 2019
Instagram’s parent company Facebook is also running a test of hiding like counts in Australia. The test will hide the number of likes on a post, only displaying that a post was liked by “[a friend] and others,” instead of displaying the actual number to the public.
