Model cries incessantly after likes disappeared on Instagram

Melbourne, July 26 (IANS) An Australia-based Instagram model Mikaela Testa had a major meltdown after she realised that the Facebook-owned photo messaging app is not showing the like count on her posts anymore.

Confessing that Instagram is like a "mental problem", she posted a video on her "Scandalous x" account, crying incessantly while uttering that she is going to quit social media for a while.

Earlier this week, Instagram expanded a test feature of letting users hide the like counts on their photos and videos to six more countries, including Australia.

The test feature is intended to be helpful in removing the pressure among users who are concerned about the reach of their posts and impressions.

Testa runs two accounts on Instagram -- one by her own name that has almost 45,000 followers and another account called "Scandalous x" which has 13,000 followers.

She claims to earn $693 (Australian $1,000) for every 1,000 likes her posts collect, web portal Ladbible reported on Thursday.

Since Instagram changed its plans, the upset Instagram model cried about how her posts have suffered a massive drop off in engagement.

In a Facebook post, Testa wrote: "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. 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".

Social media influencing has become into a multi-billion dollar business, with brands gathering around influencers for paid promotions of their posts.

Earlier this week, another Instagram model broke up with her boyfriend after he insisted to be part of her Instagram posts.

She said user-engagements on single-girl posts are higher and she would not want to mess with the responses on her post.