Setting limits on the time users spend online can be helpful, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced millions of people to stay home and modify many of their routines.
This is also believed by Facebook , which has implemented a silent mode with the aim of helping its users to better manage their time on the social network during this extraordinary period of their lives, according to the head of health of the social network, Kang-Xing Jin.
Through a blog post , the firm explained that
“whether it's to help you focus on your family and friends, sleep undistracted, or manage your time at home, we have tools that can help you find the right balance in the way that do you use Facebook".
"Silent mode can be turned on and off as needed, or it can be scheduled to turn on at certain times of the day," said Kang-Xing Jin.
Facebook has started to implement the functionality in the iOS version of its application. The Android version could begin testing in May, with the goal of a larger release in June.
If you have an iPhone, you must go to the Settings and Privacy menu, Your time on Facebook and Change notification settings. Once there, you can choose to Silence push notifications. If you do, a menu will emerge that will give you the following alternatives: for 15 minutes or for one, two, four or eight hours.
Facebook also added more detailed statistics, including usage for two-week periods, as well as breakdowns of how people spend their time during the day and night, Digital Trends added .
Additionally, the social network reported that it is sharing advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness on self-care for people who are confined at home.
Facebook also recently launched new tools to help researchers understand and overcome COVID-19. Called disease prevention maps, they use location data to show how population dynamics influence the spread of the coronavirus.