Instagram taking away our likes? Oh no! Or is it an oh yes?
Recently, Instagram has began testing the idea of taking away the number of likes and video views received on each post. The CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri commented, "we want people to worry a little bit less about how many likes they're getting on Instagram, spend a bit more time connecting with the people that they care about." So far Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand have gotten the chance to experience this, and the results have been a mix of extremely positive and extremely negative.
On one hand, fellow Instagrammers are in an outrage because their self esteem or careers practically depend on the amount of likes they receive on posts. Many influencers use Instagram as a platform to market their brand and broaden their audience, while others simply enjoy seeing the numbers increase whenever they refresh their post. In the age of technology, it has been scientifically proven that every time we like or receive likes on certain posts, a small rush of dopamine, or the happy chemical, goes to our brains. Users feel more gratified and build their confidence off of personal posts. Many other companies or brands utilize Instagram to show their audience their legitimacy and likeliness. It almost seems like nowadays, if their posts don't have a lot of likes, what does that say about them?
On the other hand, some celebrities, influencers, and regular users have said that it is actually a great thing that Instagram is thinking about taking away likes. Many claim that we have become too reliant and materialistic, and end up judging or criticizing others for not receiving enough likes on their posts. People often go as far as editing their pictures to enhance certain parts of their face or body and end up creating an unrealistic expectation for people who see and like their posts. People see this as the standard they should be living up to, and feel terrible when they don't get the same results when they see their own photos. The original purpose of Instagram was simply to share experiences and connect with friends, family, and loved ones. Now, it has been twisted into an application that depends heavily on what others think about you. People constantly need the satisfaction of seeing notifications about new likes, comments, and followers. It no longer seems like it's about how much people like your post, but how much they like you.
So, is Instagram doing a good thing by taking away our likes? Or should they just let us be? Times are changing, and the way that we connect with others is always changing.
But is it changing for the better? Or for the worse?
