New features on Instagram are being introduced that are geared towards users (especially young people) for increased protection while using the app.
Today, the company launched its Take a Break tool, which will encourage users to spend some time away from the platform after they’ve been scrolling for a certain period. The feature, announced in September, will first come to users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, and to all users in the months ahead.
How it Works
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. After the prompt encourages a break, the user finishes the break by hitting a “done” button to return to the app.
To make sure that teens are aware of the feature, there will be notifications suggesting they turn these reminders on. According to the company website early test results show that once teens set the reminders, more than 90% of them keep them on.
Other tools coming up on the platform, as per the company’s website:
-Taking a stricter approach to what is recommended to teens on the app, stop people from tagging or mentioning teens that don’t follow them, nudging teens towards different topics if they’ve been dwelling on one topic for a long time
-Launching their first tools for parents and guardians early next year to help them get more involved in their teen’s experiences on Instagram. Parents and guardians will be able to see how much time their teens spend on Instagram and set time limits. Plus there will be a new educational hub for parents and guardians
For more information go to the website HERE.
