Should social media sites be required to remove the "like" counter?

[KrakenAttackin]

Serious question. There is good reason to believe that people (especially younger women), are becoming increasingly obsessed with the # of "likes" or lack of likes they receive on posts. We see a competition where inappropriately young girls post over sexualized pictures to gain "likes" or males and females do absurd things to gain likes. People are getting their personal validation and sense of self worth from totally random strangers on the internet. This is not healthy and is contributing to major depression, obsessive behaviour, and other mental malaise.

Instagram tried cutting out "likes" for a short time and women went CRAZY, which is exactly why we should take a hard look at this.

What say you?

YES the like counter should be removed.

NO the like counter should not be removed.

Updates

+1 y

www.google.com/.../how-removing-likes-from-instagram-could-affect-our-mental-health

[LikeALog]

Some forums allow comments to be disabled so when people block responses, the dislike button is the only way to show displeasure.

[OlderAndWiser]

I understand your argument bt have difficulty with a private business being given a mandate on how to run their business.

[KrakenAttackin]

@OlderAndWiser. Overall, I agree. My concern is deleterious effect craving 'likes" is having on this generation.

[OlderAndWiser]

If I was the king of the world, I would abolish cell phones!

[OlderAndWiser]

Thanks for MHO!

[LimitedBenefits101]

if they did that women will go out and protest
you know how women LOVE and CRAVE attention

[KrakenAttackin]

@LimitedBenefits101. This is exactly the point. So many women derive so much of their self worth from "likes" and it is very unhealthy.

[007kingifrit]

reaction buttons should be illegal, you should be required to write a unique response yourself

really social media should be outlawed alltogether

[msc545]

You make a very good case for having it removed, so yes. I see no advantage to leaving it there.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

See no point in removing it. Let people have the support from others.

[KrakenAttackin]

I think the like counter is literally driving some people insane.