You may have seen it- news that the popular social media platform Instagram is trying out disabling "like" counts when it comes to social media posts. Their hope is that it will create a more intimate and less ego-stroking experience when it comes to connecting over posts on social media. Well, this is unwelcome news for some influencers, who are anxious about the effect this change may have on their bottom line.
The "like count ban" makes it so that only creators can see their stats, it isn't possible for followers to see how many likes a post has racked up. Additionally, you cannot see how many likes another post has gotten either, so you can't engage in the soul-crushing practice of comparing yourself to blush-pink Betty up the street. This is being tested out in a few different countries by Instagram, including Canada, Australia, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Brazil, and Italy.
Some influencers are upset by this change as their bread and butter may be coming from sponsors, who use likes as a measure of marketing success. One Instagram model reportedly called into a radio program complaining “I used to work [on Instagram] six hours a day, but now I’m working eight hours a day because the Likes are going down!”
Um, ok then.
Apparently another Australian influencer made recent news about the like ban when she had a meltdown over the effect she felt that this would cost her business. Mikaela Testa, an influencer from Melbourne, made waves when she posted a rant on Facebook, and a teary video on Instagram threatening to leave the platform.
Since social media started it has always been in a state of flux. Platforms are often tweaked and changed in an attempt to keep up with the times and create a better user experience (or so they claim). Ultimately, should this feature be kept, it is just another example of the ever-changing landscape of social media. For those who make their living there, they may just need to learn to change and adapt with it.
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