'Real damage': 'Influencer' lashes out over Instagram's new change
A self-proclaimed Instagram influencer has broken down over the photo-sharing platform’s trial of removing “likes” on posts from public view.
Claiming to have put “blood, sweat and tears” into her two accounts, Mikaela Testa, from Melbourne, made it very clear she disapproved of the change in a fiery post to Facebook.
“If you think this is okay you can f*** off, it’s actually a sad day for those who have instagram as a job,” the 19-year-old wrote in the now-deleted post.
Instagram introduced the trial to Australian users last Thursday after beginning its trial in Canada in May.
The livelihoods of thousands of Instagram influencers were thrown into question, given many used the platform to sustain their businesses and brands.
Testa took aim at those who opted to poke fun at Instagram models in the wake of the trial, telling people who agreed with the changes to “f*** off”.
“Regardless of what you may think, Instagram is a REAL job and those in the industry have worked hard to get where they’re at,” she wrote.
“It’s people that aren’t even in the industry that think it’s a f***ing joke. It’s not, it’s real damage out here. I’ve put my blood, sweat and tears into this for it to be ripped away, it’s not just me suffering too, it’s every brand and business I know.”
‘They don’t care about your feelings’
Testa argued there was another explanation behind the change, saying she wasn’t convinced the app was motivated by improving the mental health of users.
“Instagram isn’t even doing this for mental health, they’re just doing it so they can control all engagement so more businesses run their adverts through Instagram essentially giving them more money. They don’t care about your feelings,” she said.
The social media user vowed to have a “really big break” from posting to her accounts for a “couple of weeks” to “get back on track” in an emotional video to Instagram.
Testa later claimed her emotional outburst had nothing to do with the changes made to Instagram, and were instead caused by hurtful comments to her accounts.
“I have the ugliest crying face, say what you want this is raw content, that’s what this account is for, leaving social media for the first time ever,” she wrote.
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“Since there are a few rude people misinterpreting this video, this has nothing to do with insta removing likes that is the dumbest thing I’ve heard.
“This has everything to do with the disgusting hurtful comments and messages I’ve received over the past week and I just need a break.”
Her break only lasted a day and she was back posing in a red skirt in a post with the caption: “Ok break is over.”
Instagram has not yet revealed if the removal of publicised likes was permanent, instead it would evaluate the trials and make a decision based on feedback.
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