Instagram’s prominent ‘influencers’ were sent into panic after a technical bug hid “likes” from many users’ posts, in what the platform called a “bug” when it experimented with doing away with “likes” for good.
While Instagram clarified the move was wrong – and said it has been “Test a new experience to hide likes on Feed posts,” but that it “Accidentally added more people to the test” because of a “Bug” – The site’s blue checks were no less disturbed, and flooded Twitter to apologize for the loss of their “likes”.
“If Instagram thinks I don’t want to count my likes manually, they do not know how much validation I need from strangers on the internet,”
Texas took away the masks, Instagram took away the likes …. please sir I can not take more 😭😩😩
– RAVEN ELYSE (@RavenElyseTV) March 3, 2021
Instagram has been discussing sending audiences like the road to dodo since 2019, by rolling out a similar site in a limited trial period in a number of countries, starting with Canada and expanding to Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand and finally, in November 2019, USA. CEO Adam Mosseri explained that the measure was intended to improve users’ emotional well-being and self-confidence, especially at the younger end.
“It’s about young people,” In Mosseri in 2019. “The idea is to try to ‘make depressing’ Instagram, make it less competitive and give people more space to focus on connecting with the people they love, things that inspire them.”
While many high-profile instagrammers have rejected the decision, a few citing more practical reasons beyond mere vanity, some have welcomed it as a “Progressive” and “Humanitarian” site improvement.
So Instagram got rid of likes, and I honestly feel like that’s the most mentally progressive thing they’ve done all year.
– Demi Grace (@IamDemiGrace) March 3, 2021
so instagram got rid of likes, and i think it was one of the most humanitarian moves they could have made. a world where children grow up and measure their lives by equations, never sat well with me.
– 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝. (@ImanEurope) March 3, 2021
so i guess i am the only person who is happy that instagram took away likes
– gh (@GabbieHanna) March 3, 2021
An observer tried to reassure the annoying influencers, explaining that while likes may eventually be hidden from the public, they will still appear in a private dashboard, allowing engagement-conscious users to measure the popularity of their posts to their heart’s content.
Why do people keep saying because Instagram removed likes, now influencers can not make money? All️ all influencers have a dashboard with their insight / analysis. So you just screenshot them and send it to said sponsor.
– BEN BALLER ™ (@BENBALLER) March 3, 2021
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