Instagram to begin removing “Like” counts for U.S. users as early as this week

Instagram plans to start testing the removal of “Like” counts for U.S. users beginning as early as this week, CEO Adam Mosseri announced at a WIRED25 conference in San Francisco last week. The Facebook-owned platform first began experimenting with hiding “Like” counts from users earlier this year. In April, an app researcher discovered Instagram was testing removing “Like” counts on posts. At the time, an Instagram spokesperson told TechCrunch it was not a public test, but an internal prototype and that the company was “exploring” new ways to reduce pressure on Instagram. Later in the spring, Instagram formally began testing hidden like counts in Canada, and soon expanded the test to several other countries, including Brazil, Japan and Australia.