On Friday, Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed that Instagram is testing a new “dislike” button for comments on posts and Reels.
The test aims to provide users with a way to signal that they “don’t feel good about that particular comment”. The goal is to improve the quality of conversations on the platform.
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The new dislike button: how it works
The new button will appear next to the comments. Unlike traditional dislike features, the count will remain private. The comment author will not be notified if their comment has been disliked, and the number of dislikes will not be visible to other users.
Mosseri explained that “this is a test; there is no dislike count, nor will anyone know if you tap the button”. Instagram may eventually factor these dislikes into its comment-ranking system, potentially moving disliked comments lower in the thread to reduce their visibility.
User reactions: will dislikes enhance or harm the user experience?
The announcement of the dislike button has generated mixed reactions. Some users believe the feature could promote bullying and negativity.
User falkthisnonsense on Threads wrote, “And what happens if the disliked comments are anti-fascist or adding truthful information to a propaganda post?”
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“You can now downvote/dislike comments on Instagram, whaaatwhy?” wrote one user on X,@gurdittt.
Another commented, “It’s like they want to continue to see us argue and hate each other”. Others worry it will make people insecure about their posts.
However, some believe the dislike button could be an essential moderation tool. Mosseri hopes that “this might help make comments more friendly on Instagram”.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, explained that they are rolling out the feature to a limited group of users. A company spokesperson stated, “We’re working on ways to help people better control their Instagram experience and what they’re seeing on the app,”.
The dislike button test is currently being conducted with a small group of users. Meta has not clarified when the test will end or whether it plans to roll out the new dislike button to more users in the coming weeks.