In the aftermath of my father’s passing, sharing the news on social media felt like a daunting task. My Instagram feed was filled with memories of him, making the announcement feel both necessary and strangely superficial. I opted to disable likes and comments on the post, seeking to avoid the distraction of engagement metrics. However, Instagram recently introduced a new feature: beneath each photo, alongside likes and comments, the number of times a post has been shared is now displayed. This change, implemented across all accounts, including verified profiles and those with fewer followers, has ignited a sense of unease. Previously, share counts were only accessible to verified accounts through a private dashboard, making their public display a significant departure. As someone who has recently grappled with the potentially negative aspects of social media, this update has left me feeling self-conscious.
In 2019, Instagram introduced the option to hide like counts on posts, a move spearheaded by platform head Adam Mosseri, who stated, “We want people to worry a little bit less about how many likes they’re getting and spend a bit more time connecting with the people that they care about.” This initiative was prompted by numerous scientific studies highlighting the detrimental effects of social media on our mental well-being. The pursuit of engagement—measured by likes, comments, and shares—can be particularly harmful for individuals struggling with social media’s inherent pressures. While acknowledging the potential benefits of social media, such as fostering community and connection, this week’s update feels like a step back from the efforts to mitigate its potential downsides.
A Meta spokesperson explained the reasoning behind the share count addition, stating, “We recently launched share counts on Feed posts and hope this is a helpful measure in understanding what resonates with others using Instagram.” This feature aligns with the way Reels are presented and will soon be rolled out globally. Notably, users retain the ability to hide share counts, just as they could previously choose to hide likes, by navigating to their Instagram settings and adjusting the “Like and share counts” option. However, the introduction of share counts has inadvertently attached metrics to my father’s passing, with his Instagram post garnering 212 shares. This number, a reflection of how many times his life, death, and our 33 years together were shared, is a statistic I never wanted to know, one I was actively trying to avoid. If Meta is truly committed to advancing its digital well-being initiatives, providing more data about the “success” of a post seems counterintuitive. In light of this, the new share count feature raises questions about Meta’s dedication to fostering a healthier digital landscape.
