https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/27/facebook-to-hide-number-of-likes-in-trial-aimed-at-improving-users-wellbeing

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Facebook
This article is more than 1 year old

Facebook to hide number of likes in trial aimed at improving users'
wellbeing

This article is more than 1 year old

Social media giant said the move was backed by anti-bullying and
mental health groups

Facebook
[ ]
Facebook likes will be private under a trial which starts on Friday.
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Facebook likes will be private under a trial which starts on Friday.
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Australian Associated Press

Thu 26 Sep 2019 18.43 EDT[ ]

Last modified on Fri 27 Sep 2019 12.05 EDT

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Some Facebook users will soon no longer see the number of likes,
reactions and video views on other's posts in a world-first trial
aimed at boosting users' wellbeing.

Instead, likes will be private and only visible to the post's author
in a change that follows a similar test on Instagram which started in
July in Australia. The new Facebook trial, which begins on Friday,
will also kick off in Australia.

Facebook Australia's director of policy Mia Garlick said the change
was based on wellbeing research and feedback from mental health
professionals that the number of likes can cause social comparison.

"We've had really positive feedback from a lot of the anti-bullying
groups and mental health organisations that we work with," Garlick
said.

"It really is just taking that number out of the equation, so that
people can focus on the quality of their interactions and the quality
of the content rather than on the number of likes or reactions."

 
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It's hoped that people will be more comfortable with sharing on the
platform rather than feeling like it's a competition, she said.

Garlick assured businesses who rely on Facebook they will still
receive all the same metrics and insights they previously accessed.

She said it was too early to say if the test would roll out to other
countries like Instagram's trial has in Australia, Canada, Brazil,
New Zealand, Japan, Italy and Ireland.

As with Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, there is no indication
of when the trial will end or if the change will be made permanent.

"We have had some initial positive feedback from the public about the
experience [on Instagram], but we're still just learning and
listening to feedback at this stage," she said.

On being the world's training ground Garlick said Australia has very
active "tech-savvy" users of Facebook and Instagram.

"We think this is a great country where we can get some really good
feedback about whether this is a valuable experience for people on
our services or not."

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