YouTube is adding a new timer feature to help users manage such behavior, a move that reflects both growing public pressure on tech platforms and the company’s interest in long-term engagement rather than the risk of user burnout.
When a user reaches their time limit, they will receive a notification that their Shorts broadcast has been paused for the day. However, this notification can be dismissed, so the user must adhere to these self-imposed limits.
With “Take a Break,” for example, users can set a reminder to appear every 15, 30, 60, 90 or 180 minutes, at which point the video will pause. Users can then choose to dismiss the reminder and keep watching, or close the app.
“Shorts are a core part of the YouTube experience,” YouTube said in its announcement. “Setting a scrolling time limit on the Shorts feed allows for this exploration while helping users be more deliberate about their viewing habits and manage their time effectively.”
The option to set and adjust custom time limits for short videos can be found in your YouTube account settings. YouTube says it’s “rolling out” starting today, so it may take a while for it to appear for all mobile users. YouTube adds that it also plans to expand the feature to parental controls “later this year” to proactively manage kids’ screen time, and that notifications for these limits won’t be dismissible.
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