Just a few months ago, Instagram delved into testing how their photo and video platform would be without the “likes” counter.
They began testing this in Canada awhile back, and has now expanded to six more countries: Ireland, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.
The “likes” ban prevents you from seeing the number of likes of other peoples’ photos, while still being able to keep track of your own. Instagram said on twitter yesterday, “We want your friends to focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get. 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.”
This test has received mixed responses online. Some people are for the eradication of the concept of superficial validation that these likes are imposing, especially on teenagers.
Meanwhile, many are still against the ban, mostly because a lot of jobs and businesses are already dependent on the platform feature. Without it would cause many influencers and businesses to suffer.
And of course, there’s the majority who just wants the chronological algorithm back.
How did you respond to this news? Do you want those ‘likes’ gone too? Let us know in the comments!
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
For the latest in culture, fashion, beauty, and celebrities, subscribe to our weekly newsletter here
Follow Preen on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Viber
Related stories:
The real impact of Instagram hiding the like-count
You can soon put your preferred pronoun and gender identity on Instagram
We bet your favorite Instagrammer has these IG Stories apps too
Instagram teamed up with Netflix for this cool feature
Why Instagram isn’t as safe as you think it is