Facebook Considers Hiding the ‘Like’ Totals on Users’ Posts

Facebook Inc. is considering a test to stop showing the number of “likes” that posts get in an effort to reduce the competitive pressure of social media.

Only the person who posted something would be able to see their like count, but everyone else would not, according to Jane Manchun Wong, the security researcher who uncovered the project. That’s the same way the test works on Instagram, the photo-sharing app owned by Facebook. Instagram’s like-hiding test, which started in Canada earlier this year, is now running in seven countries.

Facebook confirmed the researcher’s discovery, but said it is too early to say whether it will test the idea widely.