Driving Social Media Addicts Underground

Instagram Likes

Adam Mosseri, who runs Instagram, is about to change the world. Like it or not, Instagram is going to make “like” counts private. This is a bold, (but well-tested) move. The company has previously hidden likes in Canada, Japan, Brazil, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and Italy. Now, Instagram will expand its testing to the US.

Will hiding likes hurt Instagram’s business? Will hiding likes have an impact on the delicate relationship Instagram posts have with your endorphins and dopamine receptors?

Sadly, I’m pretty sure that the only consequence of hiding likes will be the emergence of a black market in Instagram metrics. People are so addicted to social media metrics that they will ditch their personal accounts and open business accounts to get their fixes. People will do whatever it takes to game the system. Addicts will find a way. That’s what addicts do.

 

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Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it.

About Shelly Palmer

Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.

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