A new day might be dawning for Instagrammers across the world as the rumored banishment of “likes” – that banal currency of the modern age – has come to pass (just ignore the wailing from the influencers who don’t want this change at all).
Those of you who use the service might have noticed the change today while others are probably reading about it in the headlines on this website and many others.
It’s definitely a big deal but who knows if it will stick around as a permanent change. Rather than tally the likes a post got on Instagram, photos now simply read “Liked by (username) and others.”
Don’t worry, though, because account holders can still see how many likes a photo has gotten so influencers don’t need to worry about having metrics to show off to advertisers.
What is surprising about all of this is that we (and others) reported that this was a rolling test and was slated for the United States this week.
The fact that it has rolled out to most users is interesting and could either be the biggest beta test ever on Instagram or the biggest change ever – you take your pick.
In a statement to TechCrunch, an Instagram spokesperson said, “Starting today, we’re expanding our test of private like counts to the rest of the world beyond Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and New Zealand. If you’re in the test, you’ll no longer see the total number of likes and views on photos and videos posted to Feed unless they’re your own. While the feedback from early testing has been positive, this is a fundamental change to Instagram, and so we’re continuing our test to learn more from our global community.”
What do you think?
Will this change make Instagram a better place for users? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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1 Comment
I freaking hate this new feature.