> We find no detectable platform-level increase in likes for high-reputational-risk content (Study 1). This finding is robust for both between-group comparison of high- versus low-reputational-risk accounts and within-group comparison across engagement types (i.e., likes vs. reposts). Additionally, while participants in the survey experiment report modest increases in willingness to like high-reputational-risk content under private versus public visibility, these increases do not lead to significant changes in the group-level average likelihood of liking posts (Study 2).

That conclusion's a surprise to me. I used to basically never like anything (even innocuous stuff) unless I specifically wanted to endorse it (essentially treating it as a less direct retweet). I like stuff all the time now.

They do note their methodology could be affected by inorganic engagement that wouldn't be affected by like visibility, though. I wonder what other factors could've led to that conclusion.