Instagram is rolling out a new update today (May 26) and its giving users like us more control of our accounts and our experience while using the app.
In an announcement shared on IG’s Blog, the social platform announced that everyone will have the option to hide public “like counts” on their posts and choose whether or not they see other people’s “likes” within their feed.
“You may have noticed that we’ve been testing hiding like counts on Instagram for a while. Today, we’re announcing that everyone on Instagram and Facebook will now have the option to hide their public like counts, so they can decide what works for them,” Instagram said in a statement.
“We tested hiding like counts to see if it might depressurize people’s experience on Instagram. What we heard from people and experts was that not seeing like counts was beneficial for some, and annoying to others, particularly because people use like counts to get a sense for what’s trending or popular, so we’re giving you the choice.”
What does this mean for creators?
According to the platform, users will have the option to hide like counts on all posts in their feed. The update also gives users the option to hide like counts on all their posts on their feed.
“You’ll also have the option to hide like counts on your own posts, so others can’t see how many likes your posts get,” Instagram shares. “This way, if you like, you can focus on the photos and videos being shared, instead of how many likes posts get.”
Instagram also mentions that users can hide like counts on others’ posts by visiting the new Posts section in Settings. This control applies to all the posts in your feed.
“Changing the way people view like counts is a big shift. We’ll continue working on new ways to give people more choice, so they feel good about the time they spend on our apps,” they say.
Are you excited for this new Instagram feature? Let us know by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet (or IG DM!) at @celebsecrets.
