Ezan Charo 
Instagram has just begun releasing its newest feature which aims to give users some relief– the quiet mode. When enabled, all your Instagram notifications will be paused, any DM from any user will be sent an auto-response replying that the recipient has quiet mode enabled, and your profile status will be changed to “In Quiet Mode” accordingly.
According to CNN Business, quiet mode seems to be a feature geared towards teens managing their access to social media, albeit in a way that reduces notifications and that urge to click. “Instagram is pitching it as a tool to help with studying and prompting teens to turn on the feature ‘when they spend a specific amount of time on Instagram late at night.’”
This feature ultimately seems to be the first of many responses to the claims about how social media affects the developing minds of teens. Giving teens more agency and control in the entertainment they consume is a phenomenal step in the right direction. We can only assume that more platforms such as Twitter, TikTok and Snapchat are to follow this trend.
Online culture in general is changing. A lot of new technologies and systems are rising, some good and some bad. But more privacy and focus outside of the digital realm is just as, if not more important.
How do you feel about this change? How has social media affected you? Reach out to me and let me know!
By Ezan Charo, Junior, ChiArts
Twitter: @digitalwarlock8
True Star Media’s content is made possible thanks to donors like you. To support the voice and perspective of youth, donate at elevate.truestarfoundation.org.
