Reason through Instagram's decision to hide public like counts

Instagram stopped showing the number of likes on posts. Put yourself in the position of the product team: why do you think Instagram made this change? ```hint Who does the number serve Think about everyone who sees or depends on the visible count: the person posting, people scrolling past, creators and the brands that pay them, and the systems that rank posts. Ask what each gains and loses when the number disappears. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does the change hide counts from viewers only, with the author still able to see their own likes, or remove them for everyone? - Is this a test in a few markets, a global default, or a setting people can switch on? - Should I reason only from Instagram's goals, or also weigh the effects on creators, brands and advertisers? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - How visible like counts shape behavior on Instagram: social comparison, pressure on what and how often people post, and popularity cues for viewers. - Plausible reasons across stakeholders: everyday users, creators and brands, the integrity of engagement signals, and Instagram's own business and reputation. - The costs and trade-offs of hiding the number, including what users and creators lose and whether likes still feed ranking. - A reasoned ranking of the likely reasons rather than an unordered list. - How the team could test the change and judge whether it met its goal. ### Follow-up Questions - How would you design the test of hidden like counts, given that one person's setting changes what others see? - Some users post more without counts, while others complain they can no longer tell what is popular. What would you decide? - How would you keep influencer marketing workable once brands cannot see a creator's like counts in public?