Breaking Instagram news – the total number of likes on posts from others – which currently appear as hearts on the app – will disappear from certain test users Instagram’s main feed, profile pages and permalink pages in the U.S. starting this week. It will then be rolled out more broadly.
While the owner of the account can still see their own likes, their followers won’t know the like count. The idea is to create a less pressurized environment where people feel comfortable expressing themselves.
Also, your likes won’t completely disappear – can still view the like count on your own photos and videos – just not on posts from others. While some are in favor of this change, others have voiced their opinion that this will affect engagement on the app, especially for companies seeking to use Instagram for business leads. Stay tuned for more on this topic.
Here’s more about it from Business Insider.