Instagram is exploring new territory with the introduction of a 'dislike' button for comments. The social media giant confirmed the testing phase following user reports of the new feature's appearance on the platform. This button allows users to privately indicate their disapproval or lack of relevance for certain comments, without showing a public dislike count. The initiative aims to improve comment quality on both Feed posts and Reels.
The company intends to enhance user experience by ensuring that comment sections remain constructive and friendly. This move is in response to user feedback calling for more control over interactions on the app. Instagram head Adam Mosseri emphasized that the feature is a private mechanism, not intended to publicly shame commenters but to refine comment ranking.
"Some of you may have seen that we’re testing a new button next to comments on Instagram – this gives people a private way to signal that they don’t feel good about that particular comment. I want to be clear: this is a test, there is no dislike count, nor will anyone know if you tap the button. Eventually, we may integrate this signal into comments ranking to move disliked comments lower down. Our hope is that this might help make comments more friendly on Instagram," said Adam Mosseri.
The test follows in the footsteps of Reddit, which has long utilized a downvote mechanism to manage comment visibility based on community feedback. However, it remains uncertain whether Instagram will assign similar weight to downvotes in their algorithm. Alessandro Paluzzi, an app sleuth, initially revealed Instagram's testing of this feature last month, prompting the company to officially acknowledge the trial.
A company spokesperson reiterated Instagram's commitment to enhancing user experience through such tests.
"We’re working on ways to help people better control their Instagram experience and what they’re seeing on the app," stated the spokesperson.
Despite its potential impact, the 'dislike' button remains in the testing phase with no confirmed timeline for a broader rollout. Instagram is assessing whether this tool will effectively elevate the quality of interactions within its community.
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