Facebook Considers Hiding the ‘Like’ Totals on Users’ Posts
- Security researcher found test of idea in Facebook code
- Company has been experimenting with the practice on Instagram
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Facebook Inc. is considering a test to stop showing the number of “likes” that posts get in an effort to reduce the competitive pressure of social media.
Only the person who posted something would be able to see their like count, but everyone else would not, according to Jane Manchun Wong, the security researcher who uncovered the project. That’s the same way the test works on Instagram, the photo-sharing app owned by Facebook. Instagram’s like-hiding test, which started in Canada earlier this year, is now running in seven countries.