Facebook Begins Hiding<br />Like Counts on Posts.<br />In an attempt to make people less reliant<br />on social media popularity, Facebook has<br />officially started hiding like counts in Australia. .<br />The feature will allow the author to<br />see the number of likes on their post,<br />but prevent anyone else from viewing it. .<br />Viewers will only be able <br />to see the names of<br />those who liked the post. .<br />According to a Facebook spokesperson,<br />the outcome of this limited test will determine<br />whether the feature expands further. .<br />We are running a limited test where like,<br />reaction, and video view counts are made<br />private across Facebook … We will gather<br />feedback to understand whether this change<br />will improve people’s experiences, Facebook spokesperson, via Tech Crunch.<br />Facebook’s decision is reportedly influenced by<br />studies that have shown a direct link between<br />social media likes and a person’s self-esteem. .<br />According to a 2014 study by Pew Research,<br />12 percent of Facebook users strongly dislike<br />the pressure they feel to post popular content.
