Facebook plans to hide 'Like' counts in new test

Facebook may soon hide 'like' counts from one's friends and followers. Only the person who posted something would be able to see their like count, but everyone else would not, according to Jane Manchun Wong, the security researcher who uncovered the project.

Instagram is already testing this in 7 countries including Canada and Brazil, showing a post's audience just a few names of mutual friends who've Liked it instead of the total number.

The point of hiding the total number of Likes is to prevent users from envy and from feeling inadequate. People tend to compare themselves to others and feel bad if their posts don't get as popular. While it may sound trivial to some of us, the fact remains that many people (especially teenagers and young adults) are "addicted to likes." Research has shown that social networks have a devastating effect on mental health in teenagers.

"We hope this test will remove the pressure of how many likes a post will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love," said Mia Garlick, director of public policy for Facebook and Instagram in Australia and New Zealand, when the change rolled out in July.

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