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Instagram might hide how many likes you get

It'd shift the focus to the content being shared, rather than how popular it is, the company reportedly said.

Abrar Al-Heeti Technology Reporter
Abrar Al-Heeti is a technology reporter for CNET, with an interest in phones, streaming, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. She's also worked for CNET's video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco -- steep inclines and all.
Expertise Abrar has spent her career at CNET analyzing tech trends while also writing news, reviews and commentaries across mobile, streaming and online culture. Credentials
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Instagram
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There may soon be a lot less pressure to rack up likes on Instagram

The photo sharing site is testing a design change that would hide how many people have liked a post, tipster Jane Manchun Wong tweeted Thursday. 

"We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get," reads an Instagram app screenshot Wong shared. "During this test, only the person who shared a post will see the total number of likes it gets."

You'd still see a few photos and names of people who liked a post on your feed, but there wouldn't be a number indicating how many people in total liked it, according to the screenshots. Only the person who shared a post would see the total number of likes generated.  

Instagram didn't immediately respond to a request for comment, but a representative told TechCrunch the design is a prototype that isn't currently being tested. 

The change could have a positive effect on users, some of whom struggle with mental health problems exacerbated by social media. The pressure of getting a certain number of likes or appearing "popular" can take a toll. A 2017 UK study found that out of five major social networks, Instagram was the most harmful to young people's mental health.