Instagram is proven to affect people’s mental health, and likes are a big part of that. We think Instagram should hide users’ likes so others can’t see. Instagram has been testing the hiding of like counts, and we think that this is great, and there is no reason to not roll out the change to all Instagram users.

The change has been met with mostly positive reactions, however some may see some setbacks. Taylor Loren mentions that business Instagram accounts would not be able to see others’ likes. This means they would not be able to see “how engaged their community is.” Olivia Ovenden says that removing like counts “doesn’t tackle the problem of toxic comments.” Cardi B writes on her post addressing the topic saying, “what makes you feel more insecure getting no likes or people constantly giving opinions about you ,your life, and topics?” Although the popular rapper mentions that comments are part of the problem, she also addresses that likes are also a part of the problem. Kim Kardashian says, “As far as mental health, I think taking the likes away and taking that aspect away from [Instagram] would be really beneficial for people.” A joint 2017 study from the AP and the University of Chicago indicated that around 15 percent of teens admitted to feeling pressure to show “their best selves” on social media. If this problem is not addressed, Instagram users will continue to feel the need for likes to feel validated instead of expressing themselves, regardless of likes.

Removing likes is the first step to a healthier Instagram community in which people can post content that expresses themselves without the fear of not getting “enough likes.” This will help fight the mental health battle on social media.