Adam Mosseri, Head, Instagram on Wednesday took to microblogging app Twitter and said that Instagram, a popular photo sharing app, is testing the long-awaited feature, ‘Take a Break’, to let users know that they have spent a long time using the platform. In the video posted by Mosseri, he said, “It does what you think it does”. He further said the feature will encourage you to take a break from Instagram after you spend a certain amount of time on the app–10, 20 or 30 minutes.

The feature is a broader effort on their part to give people more control over their usage and experience of instagram, Mosseri added. “Ultimately, you know what’s best for you when it comes to how you use the app. We just want to make sure that we provide tools for you to shape Instagram into what works for you,” the head of Instagram further said.

Testing “Take a Break” ????‍????

We started testing a new feature called “Take a Break” this week. This opt-in control enables you to receive break reminders in-app after a duration of your choosing.

I’m excited to dig into the results & hopefully launch this sometime in December. ✌???? pic.twitter.com/WdSTjL6ZdH

— Adam Mosseri ???? (@mosseri) November 10, 2021

This testing comes amid intense scrutiny Instagram and its parent company Meta (Formerly known as Facebook) is going through after whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before Congress about the company’s internal research that revealed that Instagram usage can have a negative impact on the mental health/ well being of young people.

The company’s researchers were told by the teenagers that they felt addicted to Instagram and had no self-control to reduce the app’s usage . They can however prefer to check the app less often.