Last week, Instagram announced on Twitter that they will be expanding their hidden likes test, which started in Canada in May, to include five new countries. Here is everything you need to know:

Why is Instagram hiding likes?

Instagram says they’re testing this out because they want users to focus on content and community more than the number of likes they get. Instagram is rolling out this test shortly after announcing a few other features intended to make the platform a safer from a mental health perspective.

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Why aren’t my likes hidden?

This is still only a test, and it’s only live so far in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. If you live in one of those countries, Instagram can randomly select you to test the new feature. There is no way to opt in or out of the test.

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Does this mean I could lose my data?

No! You can still see all of your data, including how many people have liked your posts and watched your videos, but others won’t be able to. This could mean that many brands may have to rely on influencers for data from collaborations if the brand isn’t working with a platform like Obviously.

What does this mean for the future of influencer marketing?

Instagram and influencer marketing have been changing since the day they both started. Trust us, we’ve been working hard to stay ahead of the evolution of the industry and social media! We think this could be a great thing for many influencers. Without the pressure of a public like count, there could be more space for experimenting with creating original content.