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Instagram to Reveal How Much Time You're Spending in the App

Instagram's CEO tweeted that he wants to make sure people are spending 'positive and intentional' time on the product, amid concerns over tech addiction.

 & Michael Kan Principal Reporter

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Wondering if you waste too much time on Instagram? You'll soon be able to find out.

Instagram is developing a new "Usage Insights" tool that'll show you how much time you've spent over the product. "Any time should be positive and intentional," CEO Kevin Systrom said in a tweet.

Systrom confirmed the feature after a developer named Jane Manchun Wong dug into the computer code of Instagram's mobile app and noticed an upcoming "Usage Insights" section under testing. A line of computer code for the feature mentions the words "time_spent," Wong said in a tweet.

The feature comes as parent company Facebook has also been talking up the need to promote quality content that doesn't waste people's time.

According to Facebook's own research, passively consuming information on social media, without interacting with anyone, can make you feel worse about yourself. Others, including students and investors, have been calling on tech companies like Apple to build controls that can help lessen smartphone use.

"Understanding how time online impacts people is important, and it's the responsibility of all companies to be honest about this," Systrom tweeted on Tuesday. "We want to be part of the solution. I take that responsibility seriously."

So far, Instagram hasn't said when the Usage Insights tool will arrive, but it isn't the only company trying to address tech addiction. Last week, Google said Android P will introduce a new dashboard that'll break down how much time you've spent on your smartphone and in which apps.

In addition, Android P will contain a new "app timer" and "wind down" feature that can help you limit your smartphone consumption.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

  • My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
  • I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
  • The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
  • Xbox 360 FTW
  • The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
  • The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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