Instagram may hide the like count on people's photos

Instagram has considered hiding the like count in the photos, so audiences cannot see how many people liked an individual post. An unpublished feature that would be publicly hidden as counts was spotted today by code-hunter Jane Wong, who says that the test indicates that Instagram wants "your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get." A person who updated the photo will only be able to see the number of "likes" it has received.

Instagram says he has not tried the feature. In a statement, an Instagram spokesperson said: "We're not testing this at the moment, but exploring ways to reduce pressure on Instagram is something we're always thinking about."

The details of the test came days after the Independent indicated that the Office of the British Information Commissioner had recommended that social platforms, such as Instagram and Snapchat, offer the option to deactivate functions like likes and "streaks" that encourage users to continue publishing. The agency wants to prohibit these functions to protect the security and privacy of the younger users of the platforms.

This would be a massive change in how the platform works. Likes, although sometimes they are absolutely demoralizing, encourage people to publish and give them incentives to publish content that they perform. It can also encourage the publication of less authentic content, however, such as gorgeous landscapes, nude photos or thirst trap photos that could accumulate "like", but are not the most interesting or thoughtful.