By Ashley Young-
Instagram is launching a test in Canada this week that will make the “like” counts on posts private for some users.
The move is similar to an initiative being launched by twitter to improve the way likes are shared on its own platform.
A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, said the test is part of an effort to encourage users to focus on the appeal of photos and videos being shared, rather than how many likes they receive.He added that a select group of Canadian users will have the number of likes and video views removed from their Instagram feeds, permalink pages and profiles.
“We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get,” said a notice that Instagram released to demonstrate what users will see if they are part of the test.
The spokesperson said users involved in the test, which is currently limited to Canada, will be able to see the like counts on photos and videos they upload. The number of likes will be concealed on other people’s posts