Photo-sharing app Instagram is set to do away with the likes count feature in a bid to reduce pressure that is associated with accumulating likes.
The app has already piloted the removal of the feature in Canada (in May) and the new test is rolling out in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Japan and Brazil.
In the new move, the app will only show “liked by so and so and others”, instead of showing the number. This according to Instagram will shift the focus from accumulation of likes to telling the story.
Read: Facebook, WhatsApp And Instagram Experiencing System Glitches World Wide
“We hope this test will remove the pressure of how many likes a post will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love. We want people to worry a little bit less about how many likes they’re getting on Instagram and spend a bit more time connecting with the people that they care about,” Mia Garlick, Facebook Australia and New Zealand director of policy, said in a statement.
However, the owners of the accounts will be able to see the count of their likes but it will not be displayed publicly.
Other users will be able to see the names of the people who have liked by clicking on the list.
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