An influencer's nightmare as Instagram experiments with hiding likes
If you're obsessed with how many likes you get on the 'gram', that feature may soon be a thing of the past. Uh oh...
Listen as KZN shares their thoughts on hidden likes, or read under the podcast.
The last few years have seen the social media space boom with influencers popping up left, right, and centre. But have you ever imagined a world where the number of followers and likes are hidden from us?
What else are we able to base the success of a post on, right?
Well, for influencers on popular social media platforms like Instagram, all they have to go by for a post to be considered successful is the number of likes and followers they have.
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However, that may soon be a thing of the past. The cries of influencers everywhere can be heard after it was reported that Instagram is experimenting with hiding likes. It has been revealed that a prototype is designed, but not available to the public as yet - Phew!
"Instagram is testing hiding like count from audiences, as stated in the app: 'We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get," said Researcher Jane Manchun Wong.
The feature would only show likes to the Instagram user who posted the pic. Ordinary users will just see a person who commented on it and the words 'and others' next to it.
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The moves come as a spokesperson for the social media giant said that this new explorative method will be used to cure mental health issues of users who are obsessed with getting likes.
While it may seem like a solution in the short run, let's be honest, we're probably going to see a major dip in the amount of sponsored posts, and will probably see a good few influencers jumping to find the next new platform which allows them to show their likes and followers to the world.
Are you for or against hiding likes on Instagram? Let us know below.