Why Instagram can't erase the most embarrassing notification, according to its CEO

Instagram can't save you from this viral social media blunder, CEO admits

Instagram users who have ever frantically unliked an old photo after accidentally tapping the heart icon may be disappointed to learn that the mistake isn't always completely erased. According to Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, the platform cannot retract every notification once it has been sent, even if the like is removed immediately.

Addressing the issue in a Reel shared on July 28, Mosseri explained why users sometimes still receive a notification after someone likes and quickly unlikes one of their posts.

The reason lies in the way Instagram's notification system works.

Whenever someone likes a post, Instagram sends two separate notifications: one appears within the Instagram app, while another is delivered as a push notification to the recipient's phone. Although Instagram can remove the in-app notification when a user unlikes the post, it has no way of recalling a push notification that has already been sent to the device.

"When you unlike that photo, we can delete that Instagram notification, but we cannot delete that phone notification," Mosseri said. "It will still say on their lock screen that you liked that photo."

He added that if the recipient opens the notification after the like has already been removed, they won't find any evidence of it inside the app because the in-app notification has already disappeared.

"If we could delete that phone notification, we would, but we can't," he said.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The explanation answers a question that has long circulated among Instagram users, many of whom have wondered whether quickly unliking a post prevents the other person from finding out. While removing the like does erase it from Instagram itself, it does not necessarily stop someone from seeing a push notification that has already appeared on their phone's lock screen.

Mosseri advised users to be extra careful when scrolling through older posts, as there's currently no way for Instagram to undo a push notification once it has been delivered.

The clarification comes as Meta continues to introduce and test new Instagram features. The platform is currently experimenting with a premium feature that would allow users to view Stories anonymously in select countries, including Japan.

For now, however, users hoping to avoid the embarrassment of an accidental like will have to rely on careful scrolling, as Instagram says the technology simply doesn't allow it to erase notifications that have already reached another person's device.