Hey,
Remember that excitement when you post on Instagram and see the likes go up?
The little thrill when your likes grow fast, or the disappointment when your post gets fewer than your friends. That’s how it was before.
But that created anxiety and pressure within people. So, Instagram launched the hidden likes feature to help us feel less pressure and compare less.
Some tried it. Others didn’t want to use it.
Let’s break it down.
Before The Hidden Likes
Public counts likes on every post.Every post showed exact numbers for all to see.147 likes vs 1,200 likes created an instant social hierarchy. Users could immediately measure the content performance and social status.
The comparison game was built in.People obsessed over like counts, deleted posts that didn't hit their minimum, and constantly refreshed to watch numbers climb. It was a public scoreboard that everyone could see.
Influencer credibility was instant.Like counts meant everything for creators. More likes meant more brand deals, more followers, more social proof. The numbers told the whole story.
After The Hidden Likes Option
Users could choose to hide like counts on their posts.Instagram added a toggle in settings. You can hide likes on your posts so others see "Liked by [friend] and others" instead of exact numbers.
Most users kept likes visible.Despite the option being available, the majority of users chose to keep their like counts public. The validation and social proof were too valuable to give up.
Limited impact on behavior.Since it was opt-in rather than default, the overall Instagram culture didn't change as expected. The comparison game continued as usual for most users.
What's Better? What's Worse?
Better: Users got control over their own experience.
People who felt pressured by likes could hide them on their posts. It was a step toward letting users customize their social media anxiety levels.
Worse: The change was too limited to make a real impact.
Since most users kept likes visible, the overall culture of comparison and validation-seeking remained unchanged. The option felt more like a band-aid than a solution.
So, what do you think?
Imagine you shipped the hide-likes feature. How do you explain these?
Are you solving the right problem?Instagram gave users the option to hide likes, but most kept them visible. Does this mean the problem wasn't big enough to warrant a solution?Or that the solution wasn't convincing enough?
Should the user's choice always win?Instagram didn’t default the feature and allowed people to opt in.Did this approach respect user autonomy?Or did it avoid making the hard decision that might change behavior?
When is an optional feature effective?Many didn't use the hide-likes option, so Instagram's culture stayed the same. What would it take to make an optional feature create real cultural change?