It is common for people to open a short video thinking they will just watch one, only to realize they are still on the app an hour later. YouTube is adding a new timer feature to help users manage this behavior. This move reflects both growing public pressure on tech platforms and the company’s interest in fostering long-term engagement rather than risking user burnout.
Users can set a daily time limit for Shorts viewing through the app’s settings. Once they reach their limit, they see a pop-up notifying them that scrolling on the Shorts feed is paused. However, this pop-up is dismissible.
Earlier this year, YouTube confirmed it was exploring a time-limit feature for Shorts consumption after it was spotted in development. YouTube notes that the limit is currently not integrated with parental controls. This means parents or guardians cannot set a specific limit on how much their children scroll the Shorts feed. However, the company says parental controls are coming next year, at which time children will not be able to dismiss their prompts.
In the past, YouTube has rolled out digital well-being features to curb users’ doomscrolling habits, including “take a break” and “bedtime” reminders. With the “Take a Break” feature, for example, users can set a reminder to appear at regular intervals, at which point the video will pause. Users can then choose to dismiss the reminder and keep watching or close the app. Similarly, with its bedtime reminder feature, users set a specific time window when they want to be reminded to stop watching and go to bed. When that time arrives, YouTube shows a notification.
While features like these help demonstrate corporate responsibility, their optional nature means they may not actually reduce engagement. This allows YouTube to address concerns about addictive design while maintaining its core business model.
Right now, according to a recent report, nearly 2,000 lawsuits are pending in the United States against social media companies. Families, school districts, and state attorneys general are alleging that platforms have intentionally designed addictive features that harm children’s mental health.