Thu 09 December 2021:
Instagram will roll out a new feature that will limit users’ access to the platform for a fixed amount of time, preventing them from doom scrolling.
After scrolling for a specific amount of time, the social media site launched its Take a Break function, which encourages users to take a break from the platform.
The function, which was revealed in September, will first be available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, before being made available to all users in the months ahead.
Users can turn on the feature in “Settings” and select if they want to be alerted after using the platform for 10 minutes, 20 minutes or 30 minutes.
They’ll then get a full-screen alert telling them to close out of the app, suggesting they take a deep breath, write something down, check a to-do list or listen to a song.
Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri said this tool was mainly aimed at younger users.
“While available to everyone, I think this tool is particularly important for teens to more fully understand what information they’ve shared on Instagram, what is visible to others, and to have an easier way to manage their digital footprint,” he said in a blog post.
The features build on Instagram’s existing time management tools, such as one that lets people know when they’ve reached the total amount of time they want to spend on Instagram each day.
The company is also developing an educational portal for parents, complete with professional advice on how to talk about social media with their teenagers and the opportunity to track how much time their children spend on Instagram and set time limits.
The changes follow the release of hundreds of internal documents by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, which revealed that the corporation was aware of how Instagram may harm mental health and body image, particularly among teenage girls.
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