Facebook may be thinking about scrapping or hiding users' Like counts from view with testing on a "like-less" prototype reportedly ongoing.
The prospect is likely being explored in a bid to help prevent envy, influence, and self-censorship among the users who frequent the platform.
Like-Less Facebook Prototype
App researcher Jane Manchun Wong first spotted the prototype of Facebook hiding Like counts on the platform's Android app.
Facebook is working to hide like counts, too!https://t.co/WnUrM12aZg
Tip @Techmeme pic.twitter.com/TdT73wT6A0 — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) September 2, 2019
The feature isn't available to users yet, but according to Tech Crunch, Facebook confirmed that it is currently experimenting with the removal of the Like counts from the platform.
No other details were shared, but Tech Crunch noted that if the feature rolls out and proves to be detrimental to Facebook usage or ad revenue, the company will likely backtrack.
It's not totally out of character for Facebook to do away with the Like feature, since another of its apps, Instagram, is already testing a similar "like-less" feature in a number of countries, which Wong discovered as well. The like-free Instagram trials began in Canada, then eventually also rolled out in Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand.
The company considering to ditch or hide Likes on Facebook suggests that the results of its Instagram testing are somewhat positive. On Instagram prototypes, the user can still see the Like count of his or her posts, although the Like count of other users are not visible.
The Psychology Of Likes
So, why is Facebook considering to remove the Like count from its platform? Research over the past few years have shown that social media and Like counts have a notable effect on the brain.
According to a study by UCLA published in Psychological Science in 2016, social media likes activated the rewards circuits of a teenager's brain, which is the same part that gets triggered by chocolate. Additionally, teenagers were found to be more likely to like a photo if they see more Likes on it already. This urge for conformity highlights the significance of peer approval to teenagers, which is on display on social media.
While the authors pointed out that there are both advantages and disadvantages to the influence of social media, they stressed the importance of parents being aware of their children's online network and what these friends are posting and liking.
"If your teen's friends are displaying positive behavior, then it's fabulous that your teen will see that behavior and be influenced by it," lead author Lauren Sherman explained in a statement. "In addition, teens' self-identity is influenced by the opinions of others, as earlier studies have shown. Our data certainly seem to reflect that as well."
