Instagram is releasing a number of new features that aim to make it harder for users, especially teens, to spend more time on the platform - which can be detrimental to their mental health.
On Tuesday, the company launched the new "Take a Break" vehicle, which will encourage users to spend some time away from the platform after navigating for a certain period. The feature, announced in September, will initially come to users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, and to all users in the coming months.
Users can enable the "Settings" feature and choose whether they want to be alerted after using the platform for 10 minutes, 20 minutes or 30 minutes. They will then receive an on-screen alert telling them to close the app, suggesting they take a deep breath, write something, check a to-do list, or listen to a song.
Vaishnavi J, head of security and welfare at Instagram, said the feature is still in the early stages and will expand its functionality in 2022.
