Stephen Lam/Reuters
- Facebook introduced new newsfeed tools on Friday, one of which will let you snooze updates from people or pages for 30 days.
- The snooze feature is based on research that people are more happy using social media when they interact with people they like, versus just browsing the news feed, which some research says can be depressing.
- There’s also a new tool called “Take A Break” for those ending a relationship.
Facebook is adding new tools to the newsfeed Friday intended to give you more control over what you see from people and pages you’re connected with, including an ex.
Facebook’s move is based on a bunch of internal and external research on how social media affects moods. In general, the company has learned people feel better about their social media use when they’re interacting with people instead of passively scrolling through their news feeds and looking at content. (You can read a detailed summary of the research here.)
Facebook is rolling out three new features Friday based on those findings. Here’s the breakdown:
Snooze
The snooze feature will let you mute a person, page, or group for 30 days. Their content will no longer show up in your feed, but you’ll still be connected to them.
Take A Break
This feature is designed for those who end a romantic relationship. It’ll give you controls over what kind of posts you see from your ex, and which of your posts your ex will be able to see. It’ll also let you control who can see your past posts, presumably so people won’t be able to see old photos and status updates with you and your ex.
Suicide Prevention
These previously announced tools provide support options for users who may be considering suicide. It can connect “people in distress” with organizations that can help prevent suicide. Facebook uses artificial intelligence to detect posts and live videos from people who may be considering suicide.
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