Instagram, social media giant, says users in some countries across the world will no longer be able to see how many likes a post has received under a trial that aims to “remove pressure” on its platform.
In the trial, which commences on Thursday, users will still be able to see a list of likes below their posts, but not the overall number.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Facebook-owned company said it is expanding its test to more countries, including Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand.
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The test started earlier this year in Canada, where people who were included in the trial had their likes hidden by default. The users had to opt out to show the likes publicly, although they can always see that like count on their own content.
“We want your friends to focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get,” it wrote.
“You can still see your own likes by tapping on the list of people who’ve liked it, but your friends will not be able to see how many likes your post has received.
“We’re looking forward to learning more about how this change might benefit everyone’s experience on Instagram.”
The decision to run a test of hiding like counts is coming as the social media platform expands its efforts to combat online bullying.
