Facebook is set to hide the number of likes to protect user well-being

Earlier this year, Instagram started to cut off its most addictive feature yet: the number of double-tapping likes you get on your posts. With an aim to boost users’ wellbeing, it seems like there’s another social media platform following in Instagram’s footsteps, and rightfully so.

In a bid to boost users’ wellbeing, Facebook will start hiding likes on posts…  They’ve already begun testing the new feature.

Facebook (which actually owns Instagram) has announced that its users will no longer see the number of likes, reactions or video views on other people’s posts, however, comments will remain public.

“We’ve had really positive feedback from a lot of the anti-bullying groups and mental health organisations that we work with,” Mia Garlick, Facebook’s director of policy in Australia, told the Guardian. “It really is just taking that number out of the equation, so that people can focus on the quality of their interactions and the quality of the content rather than on the number of likes or reactions.”

There’s are indications the likes trial will be made permanent and that it will be rolled out globally.

 

 

 

 

Fake influencers are costing brands more than $1 billion USD a year

According to a new report from Business of Fashion, influencer fraud is costing brands more than $1 billion USD a year. The study, which was conducted by cybersecurity company Cheq and the University of Baltimore, states that influences who pay for fake followers or engagement will cost advertisers $1.3 billion USD this year alone. This number is also projected to grow to $1.5 billion USD by 2020.

The reason behind the staggering amount of lost dollars is due to ‘influencers’ purchasing fake followers and engagements (including likes and comments), which then in turn makes brands believe they are worth collaborating with. Marketers then spend big bucks to provide free trips, gifts and more for these ‘influences’, but don’t gain anything in return. According to Mediakix, this year marketers will spend $8.5 billion on influencers alone.

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian with a following of tens of millions can earn up to $300,000 USD a post, while other top fashion influencers are said to earn around $12,000 USD per post. For those looking to expand their social presence, influencers only need to spend $16 USD for 1000 followers on Instagram.

There are significant further indirect costs – notably erosion of trust and potential brand impact.

Roberto Cavazos

Roberto Cavazos, a University of Baltimore professor and economist in the BoF report, also conducted a study and found that 25 percent of followers of 10,000 influencers were fake, while another study stated that out of 800 brands and marketing agencies, two-thirds found out they had worked with influencers with fake followers.

Following the research, Cavazos believes 50 percent of engagement on sponsored content is fake. Aside from buying engagement, Cavazos noted that some influencers post fake sponsored content “to dupe brands into believing they have a proven track record – and in order to get hired for a future engagement”.

Head over to Business of Fashion to read the full report.