Following testimony from whistleblower Frances Haugen claiming that Facebook and its subsidiary Instagram prioritize profits over the safety of its young user base, the social media giant has decided to introduce numerous new features, including pop-ups urging teens to take a break from using its photo-sharing app and “nudging” them if they’re frequently looking at content that’s not conducive to their well-being.
Facebook vice president of global affairs Nick Clegg commented on the upcoming safety features during CNN’s State of the Union show.
“We’re going to introduce something which I think will make a considerable difference, which is where our systems see that the teenager is looking at the same content over and over again and it’s content which may not be conducive to their well-being, we will nudge them to look at other content,” says Clegg.
In addition, adults will be able to monitor what their kids are doing online if they choose to, and the platform will prompt them to “take a break” from Instagram. However, on the flip side, Clegg says that plans for Instagram Kids have been currently put on hold.
While no timeframe for when the new features will be released was provided, a Facebook spokesperson (via The Verge) said the features are “not testing yet but will soon.”
Source: CNN
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