A strategy against anxiety and “social comparison”, according to spokesmen of the social network.
Instagram users from different countries have registered and can no longer see the amount of “likes” in other people’s photos and videos. This action had already been announced a few months ago by the chiefs of the application, who indicated that the function would be hidden to protect the mental health of people who regularly use this platform.
Recently, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said that by hiding likes, it is “making it less competitive and giving people more space to concentrate on connecting with the people they love and the things that inspire them.”
The function is currently in test mode for users in different countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil, Colombia, among others. However, it is not yet defined wether it will be permanent because it will depend on how the public receives it.
A Facebook spokesperson – which owns Instagram – told CNN Business that although the metrics are important to many creators, they are “thinking of ways for them to communicate more and more value to their interlocutors.”
Could this new dynamic contribute to the freedom of artists? Will it inspire more people to create more and more on social networks without fear of comparison? We will wait for the results to draw any conclusions.
