Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri discussed in a NBC interview that he wants to change the dynamic of social media by hiding the number of likes each post gets on Instagram. Mosseri explained that he wants the focus of Instagram to be less on the number of likes you get and more on connecting with people. Users will still be able to like posts on Instagram, but the account owners will be the only ones able to see how many likes they get. Mosseri’s hope is that it will take pressure off users to get a high number of likes, decrease bullying, and make Instagram a more positive experience centered on sharing experiences and not focused on popularity.

Instagram influencers and advertisers are already starting to rely less on likes and more on live Instagram stories or actual product sales to measure audience engagement. By hiding likes companies will also shift towards “paid media,” where Instagram will allow them more targeting and measuring privileges. For the average user, the disappearance of likes could take away the popularity competition for likes, and allow people to get more creative without fear of being judged.