Khaberni - YouTube has launched a new feature aimed at helping users manage their time and reduce addiction to watching "Shorts", by allowing an option to set a daily time limit for viewing that can be adjusted according to users' desires on the phone app.
The new feature works by automatically stopping short clips once the user reaches the preset time limit, displaying a message indicating that "Shorts have been stopped for the rest of the day".
The user can ignore this alert and continue watching, but YouTube confirmed that the purpose of the feature is to encourage viewers to self-regulate their content consumption and stay away from "endless scrolling" which wastes time unconsciously.
An official statement from the company explained that "the feature to limit scrolling duration in Shorts gives users a chance to explore, but at the same time helps them to be more conscious in their viewing habits and manage their time effectively".
Users will be able to activate the new feature from their account settings within the app, while the company has already started rolling it out gradually to users worldwide.
YouTube also plans to add this feature to parental controls later this year, making the alerts non-dismissible for children, with the aim of helping parents control their children's app usage time.
The launch of this feature comes at a time when social media companies are facing increased pressure due to accusations of designing addictive features, with recent reports indicating that there are about 2,000 lawsuits in the United States accusing tech companies of negatively impacting the mental health of teenagers.
It is worth mentioning that YouTube had previously introduced similar features such as "Take a Break" and "Bedtime Reminder" to encourage users to take breaks from viewing and adhere to more balanced digital habits.
