Facebook and Instagram are giving all users the option to hide like counts on their posts, potentially upending a core dynamic of the social media platforms where like counts are seen as a sign of a person’s influence.
The aim of hiding like counts is to “depressurize people’s experience” on the platform, the social media giant said. The company said the feature will let users “focus on the photos and videos being shared, instead of how many likes posts get.”
Users who enable the hide like counts featurere will now see the username of a follower who has liked the post, “and others”, instead of a number.
The tool has been tested in several countries since 2019, but it is now being rolled out globally.
How to hide Likes on Instagram
The feature can be switched on or off at any time. To change it:
- Go to Settings
- Enter the new Posts section
- Select Hide Like and View Counts
Even if a user has Like Counts enabled, they will not be able to see the number of likes on accounts or posts that have hidden them.
Users will also have the option to hide counts on a specific post, before and after it goes live on the platform.
