Hiding likes is a complex issue for a social media platform — especially now that human attention spans are a currency in itself. One-click, micro-blogging sites such as Instagram and Twitter have often tested features to help curb mental health issues among their users. On May 26, Instagram finally did roll out its ‘hide likes count’ feature in a move to de-pressurise its users.
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Having spoken with MetroPlusin 2020 about mental health and hiding likes , Tara Bedi, Instagram’s Public Policy and Community Outreach Manager, notes the company has been testing ‘hide likes count’ back in 2019. The feature would have likely launched soon after, and she adds, “But when the pandemic hit, our teams, like many teams, pivoted to focus on providing accurate information and reducing misinformation about COVID-19. We focussed on bringing people together, as well as on other issues such as racial injustice. But the tests that we conducted provided us with really useful feedback and helped us have a greater appreciation for just how complex the issue is.”
Instagram, which launched in 2010 by CEO Adam Mosseri, has seen 10 years worth of growth, setbacks and scrutiny. According to Facebook Inc’s Q1 2021 report, the ecosystem of Facebook-owned platforms — including Instagram — sees 2.72 billion daily active users and 3.45 billion monthly active users as of March 31.
Read More | Instagram officially rolls out the ‘hide likes count’ feature for global users
In 2020, Instagram launched its TikTok-equivalent feature Reels, as TikTok itself was in talks of being banned across India. On May 24 this year, the company enabled users to access insight analytics for Reels they made as well as Lives. Naturally, the extra data exposure can be a source of pressure for some users. Pointing this out to Tara, she responds, “At this point, the option to hide likes doesn’t apply to Reels, but we are exploring whether it makes sense to bring this option to other surfaces.”
While hiding likes may be effective for some users, a major source of anxiety for many users is a prevalent obsession with followers count. So, can we expect a ‘hide followers count’ feature soon? Tara simply states Instagram will continue working on tools to help tamp down on “reducing social comparison.”
For the young ones
Earlier this year, Instagram launched its annual Parents Guide. Tara says with the launch of the ‘hide likes count’ feature, the Guide will be updated accordingly.
Tara Bedi, Public Policy and Community Outreach Manager, Instagram, India
Despite the ongoing coverage and public criticism of the abuse, bullying, or predation faced by teenagers on the app, it was revealed in March that Facebook Inc was formulating a road map for a potential Instagram For Kids, which many have dubbed ‘the social media app no one asked for.’ This claims to be a child-friendly social media app for those aged below 13 years since Instagram is for users aged 13 and older.
However, psychologists, parents, policymakers and the press have criticised this as potentially dangerous. But the company responded to global criticism, explaining it is better to have dedicated spaces for children where there is parental oversight.
Tara comments, “Messenger Kids [launched by Facebook in December 2017] showed that we can build a fun and valuable app for kids, managed by parents. We’re exploring expanding this experience to other apps, including Instagram, to allow young people to keep up with their friends, connect with culture, find people they identify with, and much more. We will let you know once we have more updates to share.”
Read More | Instagram For Kids, explained
What does this mean for influencers?
The feature naturally raises questions around the influencer space. During a virtual meet titled ‘Influencer Advertising Guidelines Launch’ on May 27 organised by the Advertising Standards Council of India, the discourse centred on the need for transparency was reiterated in terms of advertised and/or sponsored content.
“It is critical to have guidelines given how influencer marketing business is growing in India. It is becoming mainstream, which simply means a large number of consumers will get impacted by it, and therefore a certain degree of credibility needs to come in the industry. These guidelines will help influencers form trusted relationships with their followers,” pointed out Subhash during the meeting.
In Facebook’s Q1 2021 report, the company states, “We are pleased with the strength of our advertising revenue growth in the first quarter of 2021, which was driven by a 30% year-over-year increase in the average price per ad and a 12% increase in the number of ads delivered. We expect that advertising revenue growth will continue to be primarily driven by price during the rest of 2021.”
In turn, Tara explains, “By giving people a way to choose how they want to experience Instagram and likes, they will be able to focus more on the photos and videos posted in Feed, and that this will ultimately drive deeper engagement.” But she clarifies, “This option doesn’t impact tools that can be used to provide transparency in the case of branded content.”
