- Instagram’s trying out a new “dislike” button to downvote annoying comments.
- They’re hoping it’ll help clean up the comments section and get rid of spam and negativity.
- Users have expressed mixed reactions, with some concerned about increased negativity and potential for bullying.
Instagram is testing a new feature that lets users dislike or downvote comments on posts and Reels. Several users have spotted a downward arrow next to the like button. Instagram has officially confirmed the feature, and it looks like this could be a way to bury spam or irrelevant comments and bump up the good stuff.
Instagram Will Finally Let You Downvote Annoying Comments
Long back, we heard rumors about Facebook adding a dislike button for comments. However, that never happened; instead, Facebook opted for reactions—liking and disliking seemed too simple, and reactions added more flair. Instagram is a different platform altogether, and we weren’t even sure if it needed a dislike button.
But here’s the thing: not only were spam bots flooding the comments, but users were also posting completely irrelevant or not-so-nice comments, and not everyone bothers to report them. To address these issues and improve comment quality, Instagram has been testing a dislike button for comments (yes, another symbol on the platform).
Here’s how the dislike button looks in a screenshot shared by a user online:
However, we’re not sure if that’s the final design, as another user shared a screenshot showing a thumbs-down icon instead of a plain downward-facing arrow:
Just like tapping the heart next to a comment to like it, you’ll be able to tap the downward arrow to dislike it. However, no one will know if you’ve disliked the comment. It’s private and won’t even show the total dislike count.
Instagram Head Adam Mosseri mentioned in a Threads post:
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.
People Aren’t Happy About the Dislike Button
While the downvote feature on Instagram works similarly to Reddit’s, it’s receiving backlash from users worldwide. Here’s how users expressed their disapproval on X (formerly Twitter):
- “oh my god instagram is becoming reddit. why is there a dislike button 😭”
- “posting on instagram’s main feed is already dreadful so they’re adding a dislike feature?? self-esteem down the drain”
- “Instagram just introduced DISLIKE feature for Comments 😭”
- “bruh no way there is a dislike button for comments on instagram???!!!!”
- “Not only did instagram make a dislike button but we also can’t see who liked it. WACK.”
- “I heard that Instagram is testing out a dislike button. If I post more art of my self-insert x canon, haters will find a new way to bully me. 🥲”
You’ll find that people are mostly unhappy about Instagram introducing another level of judgment for comments (earlier, you’d comment without fear, knowing the worst that could happen was not getting any likes, but now people fear judgment, even though the count isn’t visible), or they’re worried about it being a new way to bully online.
However, I feel it could be fine, considering everything is private, and users privately express their disapproval of a comment. This would be useful for hate and spam comments that often flood below a Reel or post. I’m curious what icon Meta will choose. The downward-facing arrow looks weird and Reddit-like, not Instagram-like. A thumbs-down icon looks more natural and in line with Instagram’s design.
But since the Meta-owned company is just testing the feature, it may or may not roll it out to the public. Only time will tell. So, let’s wait and see if the feature improves, rolls out, or simply dies from backlash.
