Instagram confirms it tests a dislike button for comments

After users saw a new button on Instagram to downvote or dislike comments, the platform confirmed that it is testing a means for users to indicate that they either did not enjoy the comment or do not believe it is relevant. The functionality will appear in both feed posts and reels.

Instagram's Adam Mosseri stated in a Threads post that the company will not display a dislike count, and no one will know you disliked a comment. He stated that dislikes will eventually be used to rank comments.

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.

Last month, app sleuth Alessandro Paluzzi revealed that Instagram was testing such a feature, which the company has now made official. Meta stated that this test is intended to help improve the quality of the comment section.

We’re working on ways to help people better control their Instagram experience and what they’re seeing on the app. We’re testing a new button next to each comment on a Reel or Feed post for people to privately signal they don’t feel good about that particular comment or find it relevant. We’re testing this with a very small group of people to start. Later, we may also test moving these comments lower down in the comments section to help create a better experience.

Reddit has had a downvote mechanism for years, and it is also used to categorise different types of comments depending on upvotes and downvote counts. While Meta is headed in a similar manner, it is unclear whether it will give these votes the same weight as Reddit.