Even Instagram Wants You to Take a Break From Instagram

If you scroll for longer than your preferred amount of time, the prompts will kick in to gently ask if it’s “Time for a break?” followed by a little prompt that will help you to refocus on something a little bit healthier.

In a photo accompanying the video Mosseri posted, a hypothetical Instagram screen shows that some of the “expert-backed” tips the platform plans to include for users include:

  • Take a few deep breaths
  • Write down what you’re thinking
  • Listen to your favorite song
  • Do something on your to-do list

The new feature comes amid increased congressional scrutiny of claims that Instagram is harmful to its teen users, with women hit particularly hard. According to an internal report obtained by the Wall Street Journal, “32% of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse.”

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“Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves,” researchers said in the March 2020 presentation reviewed by the Journal.

According to Mosseri, the new feature is expected to roll out to a small percentage of the Instagram community this week and, if successful, will be expected to launch at some point in December.

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