Facebook wants people to take time away from the internet as they introduce an all-new Quiet Mode on their platform.
Everything must be balanced. That is easier said than done when it comes to the time we spend online. With the coronavirus leaving countless of people stuck in their homes with nothing to do, most are left glued to their television sets, video games, computers, and phones.
With social distancing being encouraged and practiced, social media seems to be the only way for people to socialize. But spending too much time online isn’t good, and that is what Facebook wants everyone to know as they introduce their new Quiet Mode feature to help people manage their time on the platform.
Turning off push notifications with Quiet Mode
Facebook made the announcement of the feature through a blog post detailing how they are keeping people safe and informed amid the pandemic. The primary function of this new Facebook feature is to mute notifications and let people schedule a social media break.
In order to access the Quiet Mode feature, one would simply go to the settings menu found on Facebook and click the “Manage your time.” Once there, people would be given a choice to either use the feature immediately or schedule a time wherein Quiet Mode would take effect.
Once activated, push notifications will be muted, and if a person tries to access their Facebook, a display will appear indicating how much time is left before the break expires. The effects of this feature are not absolute, however, since it could still allow up to 15 minutes of use.
Quiet Mode will temporarily mute notifications from Facebook when you want to take a break. pic.twitter.com/56hCqiJhDj
— Facebook (@facebook) April 10, 2020
Still only accessible to the iPhone
As of this story’s publishing, the Facebook Quiet Mode feature is only available on the iPhone as the company is still working on an Android version, which could be seen this coming May. Facebook has rolled out this new feature globally for everyone to use.
Dangers of extensive social media use
Social media, despite its widespread use, also presents its own dangers. Research has found that the use of social media has a negative effect on people’s mental health and is a contributor to stress, mood changes, anxiety, and depression.
Because of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, the use of social media is at an all-time high. Facebook says that its usage went up to about 50% last month. This surge has left Facebook struggling to keep its communication tools stable. Not only that, but the spike is also mostly concentrated on video chats and messaging, which isn’t monetized, thus hurting their business.
The negative effects of extensive social media use, as well as the huge spike in usage, is probably what had prompted the Internet giant to help its loyal users control their social media use.
“As we all adjust to new routines and staying home, setting boundaries for how you spend your time online can be helpful. Whether it’s to help you focus on your family and friends, sleep without distraction or manage how you spend your time at home, we have tools that can help you find the right balance for how you use Facebook,” Facebook says in its blog post.
Images courtesy of Facebook and Pexels/Oleg Magni and mikoto.raw