Goodbye Likes, Hello Authenticity
By Talia Potters
There are certain images that nearly everyone can picture in their head. If you start describing the photo of Kim Kardashian balancing a champagne glass, Beyonce’s portrait announcing the birth of her twins, or the most liked egg, most people will conjure a perfect replication. They may seem trivial, but the universality of these images make them cultural touchstones of our generation, and they all began on Instagram. But now we are left to wonder: how can the most liked egg be most liked without likes?
Starting as a photo-sharing app, Instagram evolved over time into the most popular form of social media. As you’re sitting in lecture, look around. We bet nearly every other person is scrolling through Instagram and liking pictures mindlessly. However, Instagram recently released the announcement heard around the world: they are getting rid of likes.
Before everyone freaks out, just know that only some people in the US are part of the group chosen to test out this change. Instagram is still deciding if they would like to universally implement the elimination of likes.
This change takes Instagram back to its roots as an app meant for people to be artistic and share their talents. It was launched as a platform for creativity, and we’re excited for it to return to that. People can now post photos that they genuinely want to share with their friends, instead of being concerned over how their picture will be received. The common worries of “what’s the best time to post” or “this picture won’t get enough likes” will disappear, leaving Instagram a more carefree and enjoyable platform.
For teenagers especially, Instagram’s decision is a step in the right direction. Likes have become a sort of social currency that people look to for validation, which has had a nationwide impact on mental health. It is no secret that people who spend more time on social media have lower self-esteem, and much of that is due to the superficiality of likes.
On the other hand, many are concerned about the future of the influencer industry. But we are here to tell you not to fear; your favorite influencers aren’t going anywhere. Likes are only one type of engagement that brands look at when they are deciding to partner with an influencer or other celebrity. Business Insider describes likes as merely “surface-level,” whereas metrics like engagement or clicks are actually a more valuable indicator of an influencer’s ability to convince their followers to buy a product. The transformation of getting rid of likes could open more doors for smaller brands to keep partnering with influencers and could push larger fashion houses and corporations to redesign their partnership strategies. Eliminating likes may seem like a dramatic shift, but among the influencer industry, little should actually change.
As a smaller (yet mighty) organization, we appreciate the thoroughness of niche brands and this seems to be one way that they will get rewarded for their hard work.
Overall, this shift is bringing authenticity back to Instagram. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, explained at a Wired conference that “the idea is to try and depressurize Instagram, to make it less of a competition, give people more space to focus on connecting with the people they love and the things that inspire them.” We love that idea. For many of us, following influencers is one of the best ways to get fashion inspiration, so we can only hope that they post what authentically inspires them.