Instagram and Facebook have announced new updates, which will monitor how much time you really spend online.
The feature will show how much time you have spent on the social media site that week. You will also be able to use the ‘daily reminder’ tool to set up a time limit for yourself to spend on Facebook. This can be changed or cancelled at any time. Push notifications can also be turned off for certain time periods.
The aim of the new tools is to help people maintain control over how much time they spend online. Research suggests that spending too much time on social media can increase the likelihood of suffering from mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, in young people.
“We want the time people spend on Facebook and Instagram to be intentional, positive and inspiring,” Ameet Ranadive at Instagram, and David Ginsberg, the director of research at Facebook, said in a statement.
“Our hope is that these tools give people more control over the time they spend on our platforms and also foster conversations between parents and teens about the online habits that are right for them.”
