Instagram Tests New Dislike Button for Comments, Confirms Head Adam Mosseri

Instagram is experimenting with a new dislike button for comments on posts and Reels, as Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed in a recent Threads post. The feature, currently being tested with a select group of users, aims to make the platform's comment sections more user-friendly.

Similar to YouTube's approach, Instagram's dislike feature will be private. Users will not be able to see how many people have downvoted a comment. However, the number of dislikes will influence comment ranking. This implementation mirrors YouTube's 2021 decision to hide dislike counts on videos.

"[The dislike button] gives people a private way to signal that they don't feel good about that particular comment," Mosseri explained, suggesting that the feature could "help make comments more friendly on Instagram."

Instagram spokesperson Christine Pai confirmed to The Verge that the feature is currently being tested with "a small group of people." Meta has yet to share details about the global rollout of the feature.

Instagram is making a lot of effort to moderate user interactions as well as improve the overall commenting experience on the platform. Users have reported seeing the new dislike option appear in their comment sections over the past few days, suggesting the test is actively underway.