Users’ digital peace of mind seems to be the new popular choice for many internet platforms to take care of. For example, YouTube has announced that it will no longer show the number of dislikes for videos uploaded for this purpose. Instagram had previously removed the number of likes on its platform from the public service.
Now, in another attempt to target users’ mental health, Instagram is testing a new feature called “Take a Break” this week. This is said to be an attendance check, and those who choose it will receive in-app break reminders after a time of their choosing.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, said: “When you get a break reminder, we’ll make sure you turn off Instagram and get expert-backed tips on what to do during your break.” Giving ways for that is one way we think about it.”
According to test results, Instagram is expected to launch this feature in December.
But here’s the thing: The new time limit feature being tested isn’t exactly new.
Instagram and its parent company Meta already allow creating daily reminders and limit notifications. At the time of its introduction, Meta said it developed these tools based on inspiration and collaboration from leading mental health and wellness experts and organizations, academics, its own extensive research, and feedback from the community. “We want the time people spend on Facebook and Instagram to be intentional, positive, and inspiring. Our hope is to enable these tools to give people more control over the time they spend on our platforms.”
Also, Meta has a Silent Mode feature that allows users to mute alerts during certain parts of the day.
Obviously, the tools available allow users on both Facebook and Instagram to manage their time in the app. As such, the new feature being tested doesn’t add any new functionality, other than basically providing persistent notifications to those who prefer it.
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