Instagram Will Begin ‘Nudging’ Teens Away From Content They Dwell On

Instagram Will Begin ‘Nudging’ Teens Away From Content They Dwell On

The feature will roll out beginning this month to users in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. When the app recognizes that a teen user is repeatedly focusing on Explore page content of a particular theme, it will send that user a notification suggesting fresh, unrelated content to look at instead.

Meta’s announcement of the feature didn’t explicitly state it was meant to mitigate body image issues (a proven risk factor of the app’s use). However, the company did state the nudge is “designed to encourage teens to discover something new and excludes certain topics that may be associated with appearance comparison.”

Instagram Will Begin ‘Nudging’ Teens Away From Content They Dwell On

The update exists alongside a handful of new parental supervision features. Parents have the ability to limit teens’ Instagram use during specific parts of the day or week, such as on school nights. Parents also have visibility into their teens’ safety and security reports, including what type of report was made and which account was reported. Finally, they can initiate supervision tools themselves; previously the teen had to initiate supervision, which for some families is an unrealistic expectation to set.

That being said, teens appear to have an appetite for tools that will help them better balance social media with their mental health. Instagram recently launched a feature called Take A Break, which periodically reminds users to step away from their phones and take a deep breath, journal, or cross off something from their to-do lists. Meta reports that of the teens who have enabled the feature, 90 percent have kept it on, indicating an appreciation for efforts to facilitate healthy boundaries with the app.

Instagram’s new features just so happen to coincide with eight lawsuits regarding Meta’s addictive app design. The lawsuits claim that Instagram and Facebook knowingly created and maintained psychologically addictive platforms, resulting in self-harm, eating disorders, and sleeping disorders among users. From an outsider’s perspective, it seems that Instagram’s new nudge feature, while a step in the right direction, might be a defense measure in anticipation of similar criticism.

Continue reading

Third-Party Repair Shops May Be Blocked From Servicing iPhone 12 Camera
Third-Party Repair Shops May Be Blocked From Servicing iPhone 12 Camera

According to a recent iFixit report, Apple's hostility to the right of repair has hit new heights with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.

MIT Creates Battery-Free Underwater GPS
MIT Creates Battery-Free Underwater GPS

GPS radio signals dissipate quickly when they hit water, causing a headache for scientific research at sea. The only alternative is to use acoustic systems that chew through batteries. A team from MIT has devised a battery-free tracking technology that could end this annoyance.

Musk: Tesla Was a Month From Bankruptcy During Model 3 Ramp-Up
Musk: Tesla Was a Month From Bankruptcy During Model 3 Ramp-Up

The Model 3 almost spelled doom for Tesla, but the same vehicle also probably saved it.

Space Mining Gets 400 Percent Boost From Bacteria, ISS Experiments Show
Space Mining Gets 400 Percent Boost From Bacteria, ISS Experiments Show

We'll need lots of raw materials to sustain human endeavors on other planets, and a new project on the International Space Station demonstrates how we can make space mining over 400 percent more efficient.