Users can opt out of the default mode to check how many likes their posts get.
Back in May, Instagram tested the option for users to hide the “Like” count on their posts.
The Guardian reports that the test, which started in Canada, has now been expanded to six more countries: Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand.
When Instagram announced the feature at the F8 developer conference in Los Angeles, it said that it wants the users’ followers to focus on the content and not how many likes the post gets.
However, account owners will still be able to opt out of the default mode and check how many likes their posts received.
The Guardian quotes Facebook Australia and New Zealand director of policy Mia Garlick saying that the social media platform should be a place where can freely express themselves without judgment.
“We hope this test will remove the pressure of how many likes a post will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love,” she added.
It was not stated whether the feature will be a permanent fixture and if it will be rolled out to other countries as well.
Earlier this month, Instagram also started rolling out a new AI-powered feature in hopes to combat online bullying.
The feature notifies people when the comment may be considered offensive by prompting “Are you sure you want to post this?” message along with an Undo option.
“This intervention gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment and prevents the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification,” it states on the Instagram website.
This feature is already available for comments in English, and will be introduced to other languages soon.
