Local Psychology Experts Say Removal Of Instagram Likes Is 'Step In The Right Direction'
PITTSBURGH (KDKA)-- The Cathedral of Learning is one of the most Instagrammed locations on Pitt's campus.
Right now this iconic building is tagged in over 24,000 posts, but there may come a time where the number of likes on an Instagram post are private.
Believe it or not, that decision has sparked controversy.
By making the number of likes on a post only viewable to the user, Instagram head Adam Mosseri told CBS' Gayle King that he believes it will make social media a better place
"We don't want Instagram to be such a competition. We want it to be a place where people spend more of their energy connecting with the people they love and the things they care about," said Mosseri.
Yes, the number of likes on a post can have an impact on the user's mental health according to Pitt psychology professor Sophia Choukas-Bradley.
"In the moment it can have negative effects and from my clinical experience, I can say that adolescents are likely impacted negatively by social media over time," said Choukas-Bradley.
She says Instagram's private likes are a step in the right direction, but not a cure-all.
"People can still create tests themselves, of okay if I dress in this way or if I wear this type of makeup, I know I'm getting more likes," said Choukas-Bradley.
But not everyone loves the move, especially people and companies who make money off their interactions on Instagram.
"It calls into question how likes are going to be used, whether influencers are going to be paid based on generating likes or something deeper," said Vanitha Swaminathan, marketing professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
On Twitter, the company said it is working toward a solution for that segment, but it could mean those users will be forced to re-think their content.
Starting today, we're expanding our test of private like counts globally. If you're in the test, you'll no longer see the total number of likes and views on photos and videos posted to Feed unless they're your own. pic.twitter.com/DztSH0xiq2
— Instagram (@instagram) November 14, 2019
In addition, we understand that like counts are important for many creators, and we are actively thinking through ways for creators to communicate value to their partners.
— Instagram (@instagram) November 14, 2019
"Overall it's going to be more healthy for both the users as well as the companies to be focusing more on authentic content, content that is actually meaningful," said Swaminathan.
Instagram tested this feature in seven other countries before bringing it to the United States.
Only some accounts will see the change during the testing period.