Instagram Expands Hidden Like Counts to U.S. Users to Reduce Anxiety

Instagram rolls out a test hiding public Like counts in the U.S. to reduce social pressure, despite potential drops in influencer engagement.

08 Nov 2019 • 1 min read

Instagram expands its test of hiding Like counts to a subset of users in the United States as part of an effort to prioritize mental health over business metrics. CEO Adam Mosseri reveals the plan at the Wired25 conference, stating the goal is to depressurize the app, make it less of a competition, and reduce social comparison and anxiety among users.

The platform originally begins testing this feature in Canada back in April before expanding to several other countries including Ireland, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand. Mosseri explains that this change represents a fundamental rethink of how the platform works, fitting into a broader three-pronged approach to well-being that also includes addressing hate speech and fighting bullying.

However, the hidden Like counts pose a significant risk to the creator ecosystem, as early data shows influencer engagement drops in test markets. Studies indicate that influencers almost unanimously see their Like counts fall by three to fifteen percent when the feature is active, forcing Instagram to carefully balance user well-being with the business success of the content makers who keep the platform thriving.

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