Following reports from users who spotted a new downvote button on Instagram, the platform has confirmed that it is trialing a feature that allows users to indicate their discontent with comments or their relevance.
This functionality will be available for both Feed posts and Reels.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, shared in a Threads post that the platform will not display a dislike count, ensuring that user interactions with the button remain anonymous. He noted that in the future, the dislikes may be factored into how comments are ranked.
“Some users may have noticed our testing of a new button beside comments on Instagram, which offers a private method for expressing dissatisfaction with specific comments. To clarify, this is merely a test; there will be no visible dislike count, and your interactions will remain confidential. Ultimately, we may incorporate these signals into comment ranking, which could help position disliked comments lower in the feed. We hope this leads to a more positive comment culture on Instagram,” Mosseri stated.
Last month, app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi highlighted Instagram’s exploration of such a feature, and the company has now made this initiative public.
Meta explained that this test aims to enhance the quality of the commenting experience.
“We are exploring ways for users to gain more control over their Instagram interactions and what content they encounter,” said a spokesperson for the company. “We’re piloting a new button adjacent to each comment on a Reel or Feed post, allowing users to privately convey their discontent with that comment’s impact or relevance. This trial is being conducted with a very limited audience initially. In the future, we might also experiment with lowering the visibility of these comments to foster a more enjoyable experience,” they added.
Reddit has utilized a downvote feature for several years, employing it to categorize comments based on upvotes and downvotes. While Meta appears to be headed in a similar direction, it remains unclear how much influence these signals will hold compared to Reddit’s system.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
Fanpage: TechArena.au
Watch more about AI – Artificial Intelligence
