Canadian Instagram Users Prepare To Wave Goodbye To Their Beloved Likes

It was in April when leaked Instagram design prototypes first suggested that the app was considering removing the ‘Likes’ that have become synonymous with Gen Z’s favorite social media platform. Although Instagram was quick to negate such claims, insisting that the app was not testing removing the Like functionality, it turns out that it was. 

This Monday Facebook held its annual F8 conference in San Jose, California. During the event for developers, Instagram confirmed that it will, in fact, begin hiding Likes for users in the coming weeks. However, initial plans currently only indicate such a move for users in Canada. 

Designed to combat the potentially negative obsession with Likes, the move aims to encourage followers to ‘focus on what you share, not how many Likes your posts get’. Whilst Canadian Instagrammers will still be able to Like content, the move will obscure the number of total Likes on a post. Canadian users addicted to checking their own Likes needn’t fear though, as the user who published the content will maintain remain able to view the number of Likes on their posts. 

Despite the fact that this feature is currently only being tested in the territory of Canada, it marks an effort from Instagram to place greater consideration on the impact of their app on its users. And hopefully, such a move will encourage other big players in the world of social media to follow suit. 

Next up, How Technology Is Affecting Your Relationships — And Your Mood