We all probably know that spending too much time on social media isn’t good for our mental health, but because these social media companies are great with their algorithms that keep us constantly engaged, it can be difficult to try and pull away. However, that’s something Instagram is hoping to change.
In a tweet by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, he has announced that Instagram will be testing out a new feature this week that will encourage users to take a break from the platform. This is an opt-in feature that will basically prompt users after a set period of time to take a break. According to Mosseri, this timer can be set by users themselves so users can decide how long they want to use it before being prompted.
Testing “Take a Break” 🧑🔬
We started testing a new feature called “Take a Break” this week. This opt-in control enables you to receive break reminders in-app after a duration of your choosing.
I’m excited to dig into the results & hopefully launch this sometime in December. ✌🏼 pic.twitter.com/WdSTjL6ZdH
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) November 10, 2021
Also, since it’s opt-in, users who don’t want to be reminded won’t have to deal with it. The feature is in testing but Mosseri states that based on the results of the test, they are hoping that it will go live for all users this coming December.
Platforms like iOS and Android already have screen time related features that help users set limits and keep track of how long they spend on certain apps or activities. In fact, this isn’t the first time Instagram has attempted something like this. Some of you might recall that back in 2018, Instagram tried out a new “You’re all caught up” feature, but we haven’t really heard much about it since.
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