Instagram asks Gen Z users to spend less time using its app
- The ‘Take A Break’ feature encourages teens to stop scrolling if they have been on the social media platform for a while
- The app, owned by Meta, will also soon allow parents to see how much time their children spend on Instagram and set time limits
Instagram on Tuesday launched a feature that urges teenagers to take breaks from the photo-sharing platform and announced other tools aimed at protecting young users from harmful content on the Facebook-owned service.
The previously announced “Take A Break” feature encourages teens to stop scrolling if they have been on the social media platform for a while, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in a blog post.
It rolled out to the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia on Tuesday and would reach the rest of the world early next year, he said.
Young users will see notifications about the feature and be urged to set reminders to take more breaks going forward, the post said.
It is one of the efforts that Facebook, renamed Meta Platforms, has touted on its platforms as it weathers backlash about not doing enough to rein in harmful content and faces new legislation looking to impose restrictions on tech giants.
Former Facebook product manager turned whistle-blower Frances Haugen has testified to US and European lawmakers working on those measures, citing internal company research suggesting that peer pressure generated by Instagram has led to mental health and body-image problems in young users, especially girls, and in some cases, eating disorders and suicidal thoughts.
She spoke again last week to Congress, urging US lawmakers to move forward with proposals introduced after her first appearance in October. That includes restrictions on the long-standing legal protections for speech posted on social media platforms.