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YouTube introduces customisable watch-time limits for Shorts to manage screen time
YouTube has noted that the feature is “beginning to roll out” today, so availability may vary for mobile users.
YouTube has noted that the feature is “beginning to roll out” today, so availability may vary for mobile users.
YouTube is rolling out a new feature for its Shorts platform, enabling mobile users to set customisable daily time limits on how long they can scroll through video feeds. The move, reported by The Verge, is designed to help viewers better manage their time and curb endless scrolling.
Once users reach their self-imposed limit, they will receive a notification informing them that Shorts has been paused for the rest of the day. While the notification can be dismissed, the feature encourages users to adhere to their own viewing restrictions.
“Shorts are a core part of the YouTube experience,” the company said. “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.”
Users can set and adjust these daily limits via the YouTube account settings. YouTube has noted that the feature is “beginning to roll out” today, so availability may vary for mobile users.
Expansion to parental controls
Later this year, YouTube plans to extend the feature to parental controls, where time-limit notifications for children will be non-dismissible, providing a more proactive approach to managing screen time for younger users.
The new functionality mirrors similar optional screen-time limits on other platforms, such as Instagram. TikTok also offers a comparable feature and is currently the only platform to extend it to web users.
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