Beginning this week, Instagram will begin hiding the “likes” counter that appears underneath a posted photo or video for some U.S. users. (NPR)
It’s a test that the Facebook-owned platform has already rolled out to seven countries: Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand. (CNN)
In tests that have rolled out so far, likes are hidden from public posts in the Feed, on the web, and in profiles. However, you should still be able to see how many likes a post gets—it’s only other people that won’t be able to. (The Verge)
“It’s about young people,” Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said. “The idea is to try and depressurize Instagram, make it less of a competition, give people more space to focus on connecting with people that they love, things that inspire them.” (Mashable)
