Facebook is helping curb social media addiction

Facebook may have been one of the primary driving forces around social media addiction which had billions sticking to their computers and mobile phones for hours on end. But despite its significance being rooted around people’s usability, the social media company is taking steps in fighting social media addiction to its beloved users. 

The idea may sound offsetting for those who lavish in spending most of their time connecting with their families, friends, and peers remotely for certain reasons. But, as it appears, the social media giant’s method is not that restricting after all—yet, it is very reminding.

How exactly?

Apparently, Facebook is introducing a tool which will inform users how long they had been spending in front of the computer or their mobile device while using the social media, specifically its own flagship and its acquired social media, Instagram.

Both Facebook and Instagram which are getting this feature will, therefore, get an activity dashboard, a daily reminder for users to stop using the social media after extended hours has elapsed, and a new method of restricting notifications. However, instead of becoming mandatory, these handy features aimed at fighting social media addiction is actually optional.

Along with the tool are a slew of others whose goal is to make the social media experience “great again.

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The problem with social media addiction

The idea of social media may have a noble reason for its being—primarily to connect people from all over the world which supposedly enriches people’s lives. But indulgence, even in the good stuff, can actually pose substantial detriment to people’s lives, particularly in a society that has become more connected yet more detached as a result of easy access to the internet.

The phenomenon would not be referred to as “addiction” if not for some people getting too hooked into it that it affects their supposed normal lives as any functional and productive member of the society would.

Like addiction in general, the lack of social media access to the addicted user induces symptoms such as anxiety, feelings of guilt, depression, lack of sense of time, isolation, incapability of keeping schedules, agitation, tardiness, but also feelings of euphoria when in front of the social media.