You might have already seen on your Instagram that some users around select parts of the world are no longer able to see the number of likes on each other’s posts. This comes as a result of Instagram’s decision to beta test a feature where users are no longer able to see the glaring number of likes on posts as they scroll through their feed. So instead of the phrase “345 likes” under a post, you’ll see “themoderneast and others liked.” Honestly, we are very excited to see this feature make an appearance on our side of the world. Here’s why we think it’s about time Instagram did this.

Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram said that this feature is “….about creating a less pressurized environment where people feel comfortable expressing themselves.” In other words, the platform wants to encourage people to post more authentic content without having to worry about what their friends and followers will think.

Frankly, this is a genius move on Instagram’s part. Yes, this might affect influencer culture and how brands use Instagram to advertise their products, but on the other hand, the decision feeds into an already growing need for real content.

Why it’s necessary

Instagram has developed into a battlefield of micro, nano and full-size influencers, with the main weapon being likes and follows. This is nothing new. What is also nothing new is that especially with younger users, constantly monitoring their likes has developed into an obsessive, at times unhealthy fact of daily life. If you don’t personally know any young Gen Zers, you might think their relationship with social media is similar to that of millennials. Well, you’d be sorely mistaken my friend.

In fact, a study in the Journal of Social Media in Society found that pre-teen and teens’ use of Instagram specifically is correlated to their need for excessive reassurance. In other words, “results reveal that Instagram is highly appealing to those who need constant reassurance about their worth.” (Sheldon and Newman, 2019)

This young and moldable generation perceive their social media presence as arguably the most important factor in defining who they are. To give you a small example, I was once showing my 10-year-old cousin a few of my Instagram pictures, and his first comment was “how come you get so little likes?” When I dug a little deeper into the conversation, it became apparent that my little cousin placed an enormous amount of value and self-worth on the number of likes he got. Now, while this might not be the reason Instagram made this decision, their reasoning is sure to affect this troublesome social media culture.

The decision is entirely on-trend

When you think about it, Instagram and similar social media platforms played a role in the demise of print magazines. Why would you buy a magazine riddled with photoshopped images when you can look up to real people just like you and get inspired by them? In theory, it was a great idea. However, as the platform grew, so did the use of Facetune and the sheer fakeness of the content posted.

Recently though, there is a growing demand for authentic content. Hashtags like #nofilter or #nomakeupmonday are small examples of this.

So what does this have to do with likes? Well, by implementing this feature Instagram is attempting to ‘level the playing field’ so to speak.

Firstly, this is a huge step in making all content equal in some ways. Basically, the poster won’t feel bad if their most recent picture got half of their normal number of likes – it just won’t matter!

Secondly, people won’t feel the need to edit their picture for hours or ask 7 of their friends what they think of the caption before posting since that ‘measure of success’ aka likes, is no longer relevant. So there is no such thing as a good post and a bad post anymore, people would just be enjoying each other’s authentic content without feeling pressured to emulate and equally fascinating life. What a foreign idea!

How will this affect brands and influencer culture

The first group of people that might come to mind when thinking of Instagram’s new feature are Influencers. These are people whose livelihood quite literally depends on the number of likes they receive on their posts. The thing is though, influencer and celebrity Instagram accounts seem to trigger a herd mentality in people.

It’s exactly what happened with that Record-Breaking Egg account, people were just liking it because everyone else already had. When you see a likes number in the millions on a certain post you might think “why am I not a part of that” as opposed to considering whether you actually care or even like it.

However, for brands and advertisers, Influencer accounts are an absolute goldmine. Riding on the ‘more authentic content’ trend mentioned above, influencers are more relatable to their audience. They make it seem like they’re people just like us (except that they’re living dreamy and surreal lives – seriously how are they always on holiday?!) This makes their lifestyle seem more attainable, precisely because while they’re not a multi-million-dollar celebrity, they have a life that we want.

So, we buy the sunglasses their wearing, or the vitamins they’re taking and even go to the same restaurant they posted about last week. Because when you see that 2 million people liked that post, you get a sense of gratification from being able to relate to it and belong, even slightly.

We can only predict that the power influencers hold will decrease as Instagram’s feature rolls out in more and more countries. The logic is that if you don’t see the number of likes, you’re more inclined to see the post for what it is as opposed to thinking of what group or community you’d belong to if you like it.

That’s why we commend Instagram for making such a decision because this is a direct blow to the income they’re making from advertisers. But you know what, we’re glad to see them try to redefine how we interact in social media, hopefully for the better.