INSTAGRAM HIDES LIKES IN 6 COUNTRIES

INSTAGRAM REMOVES “LIKE COUNTS” IN 6 COUNTRIES AS A FURTHER TEST!!! Should we as a global society be doing more, to help minimize Social Pressures?

Instagram has decided to remove likes counts for Instagram Account Owners in the following countries in addition to Canada, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Japan and New Zealand. As a new measure to help decrease Social Pressures especially for young people, that come with being on Social Media.

What impact will this new measure have on Personal Account Owners and Business Owners?

Will it help improves social engagements for the better? Or create new means for people to find alternative ways to measures themselves in the absence of Likes? Could Social Comments become the wave of social pressure in the absence of Like Counts?

The intention by Instagram is to help people share more things, they like without the added social pressures including expectations of instantaneous gratification.

What about the fact that comments will continue to remain, as part of the measure of whether people like your post or not? Will it give people a mew measures to determine whether someone is liked, or not by the number of comments or engagements they receive?

Is Social Pressure more of deeper rooted social issue that goes beyond Social Media? Social Media may just have helped eleva what has already always been in existence.

Should we be doing more aside from Social Media measures?

I believe some aspects of positive self-esteem and reassurance building, needs to start from earlier ages and from social environments children are raised in; including their home environments and schools. To enable children to become more socially resilient and confident as they grow older.

The change also needs to be implemented by Business Owners and Companies alike, this includes those that work in partnership with “Influencers.” As the social pressure do not only affect younger people and does affect adults as well.

On some level and subliminally most of us have brought into “what picture-perfect looks, or a glamorous and luxurious lifestyle, which in some cases is usually shared under false pretenses to lure in the most vulnerable to buy into something.

As much as some of know that money does not necessarily buy happiness. There are still droves of people striving for the so called “millionaire lifestyle,” at the detriment of their well-being and mental health, whilst risking their financial stability. Some of the added pressures have also been contributed with the social normalisation of companies, brands, entrepreneurs who go out of their way to promote and encourage unrealistic and unobtainable goals for most people.   

We have also witnessed the adverse impact Social Pressures can have on adults who try to live up to high and unattainable lifestyles, “millionaire and laptop lifestyles.” Resulting in deeper consequences such as suicide, depression, anxiety, low self esteem and so much more adverse consequences. Including the feelings of overwhelm when for instance Entrepreneurs and Business Owners are have been unable to maintain the consistency in showing up or being unable life up to the false persona they created for themselves.

Behind closed doors a majority of people experience feelings of inadequacy, feeling unfilled, isolated and feeling as they are failing due to not being able to live up to social expectations.

Instagram’s intention to remove likes is a good intention and the best first step, to helping solve something which bigger and more deeply rooted.

We have seen as well with Economic, Financial, Political pressures that people find it easier to comment behind their screens, things they wouldn’t openly comment in person and in public. In some cases, comments have become offensive with the intention to humiliate, name and shame and used as weapon to intimidate the receiver.

Social Media has just become like another wave of Tabloid News, the only difference us that this is on a bigger scale vehicle managed by a mass population of individuals.

As a mew measure Instagram will be implementing a new feature to its platform minimise bullying and to keep the intended poster the opportunity to consider their actions further. For example, they will be prompted to Click on Learn and be informed the following: “We are asking people to rethink comments that seem similar others that have been reported.”

Should similar measures be extended across other Social Media platforms  including Youtube?

Some may argue about their Freedom of Speech being taken away, and consider it as too much censorship. Or others may perceive it as it is better to see all comments regardless, rather than not to know how other think. Including those with negative and harmful comments.

These social pressures and issue, I believe go beyond Social Media Platform Owners control and measures.

Going forward, what will the impact and new Instagram Utopia be like?  

• Will it help us develop more meaningful and authentic relationships?

• As Instagram is not removing the matrix for business accounts, will there be any significant changes on a personal level? Even if others do not see your matrix, will some people start to feel better about themselves? Or could it have an adverse impact?

•   I believe that once likes are removed, people will still find other ways and measures to compare themselves others.  Comments are still a means and vehicle for people to put their points across and not all comments will be positively constructive.

• Some people will struggle more to get their heads around not having ‘Likes’ as the main feature of their posts

• Should we as individuals and as adults take more personal and social responsibility to help minimize social pressures.

• Should we stand up mire often when we see unjust acts, questions things more constructively rather than people a passive observer.

• Should we stop engaging in harmful comments, by not reacting or giving attention to it more than it needs to.

• Should we raise concerns, provide feedback and complaints to the platform owners, to help minimize harmful acts such as bullying?

The last thing, I’ll leave you and to consider on an individual level is this.

To end, should we invest more in own self-development, well-being and further awareness to help us in becoming more resilient, less reactive to social pressures. 

To focus more pm developing internal happiness, what it means to truly live a fulfilled life without the added social pressures to please and live up to other people executions?