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As parents, we are continuously trying to come up with innovative ways to reduce screen time for our kids. But, in this new normal where we ourselves are glued to screens, it is becoming difficult to keep our children away from it.
Instagram is one app that is a favorite among teens, which they just can’t seem to get enough of. With great short content, scrolling through Instagram just doesn’t tire the little fingers and we can go on and on for hours.
Thankfully, Instagram has understood the pain-points and come up with a solution.
Instagram is saying, ‘Take a Break’
‘Take a Break’ is the latest new feature introduced by Instagram that reminds ‘addicted’ users to keep their devices down.
The ‘Take a Break’ Feature has been launched in Canada, the US, Australia, Ireland, the UK, and New Zealand as of now, and is set to hit other regions by next year.
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How to prevent excessive Instagram usage among teens?
The new ‘Take a Break’ feature by Instagram is an add-on accessible in ‘Your Activity’. It is meant to help users keep track of the number of hours spent on the app.
Basically, if a user is scrolling through the app for a prolonged time, a pop-up will appear as a reminder to take a break.
To make sure your kids get these reminders, you can set it up in the app following these steps:
Once turned on, the app will display a full-screen pop-up asking you to take a few deep breaths, writing down what you are thinking, listening to your favorite song and to do something from your to-do list.
To take the suggested break, there are two call-to-action buttons that say ‘Done’ and ‘Edit Reminder’ to exit the pop-up.
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‘Transparency, Accountability & Control’ on Instagram’s top priority list
Instagram has, time and again, stressed that apart from user experience, transparency, accountability and control have been priority areas of the social media app.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri has said that they are working on system updates that will help users to use the app without being manipulated by algorithms.
Bottom line
There are a lot of new updates that the app might have in the coming year that are aimed at creating a safe and fruitful interaction as a priority for users in the app.
Some of these are expected to be features that will help users manage Instagram activity in one place, bulk delete photos and videos, an educational hub for parents with expert tips, switching to the chronological feed option, etc.
With revelations around Instagram impacting mental health and body image, these moves seem to be in the right direction.
