Back in May, Instagram began trialling the removal of likes in Canada in a bid to reduce stress and anxiety surrounding the use of the platform. Now, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has announced that the platform will test hiding likes in the US as soon as next week, but Cardi B isn’t happy.
The rapper posted a video on Instagram, explaining how she believes that the comments section is more toxic to users than seeing likes or not. She said: “If anything is affecting Instagram right now, I really feel it’s the way the comments have been done or have been changing these past few years.”
She continued: “Because I feel people been saying the most weirdest shit, been starting the craziest arguments, been starting to race bait, all because of comments, because they want to get to the top, they want to get the most reactions.”
Looking at the results of similar trials run in Canada, Japan, Australia, Ireland, and Brazil, Cardi might have a point. Reactions to these trials were mixed. While many welcomed the change, others maintained that the removal of public engagement metrics would be damaging for Instagram professionals, such as influencers, whose numbers are an important marker to potential clients.
But Instagram’s not the only social media platform reevaluating its strategy. Facebook – which also owns Instagram – has also tried removing engagement metrics, along with YouTube and Twitter. Presumably, they’re all sitting in that same shamescape as the guy that invented Twitter’s retweet button, and the dude behind everyone’s favourite pedigree dog, the labradoodle.