YouTube's new 'Timer' feature for Shorts rolled out: will help users stop endless scrolling, learn how to activate it

If you lose track of time while watching Shorts on YouTube and end up wasting hours scrolling, the video platform has rolled out a new 'Timer' feature in its mobile app.

The online video streaming platform launched this feature to prevent the unlimited scrolling of Shorts, so that users don't get caught up in 'doomscrolling' (useless scrolling). Let's explore how this feature works.

What is the new timer feature and how will it work?

Availability: This feature is available only on the mobile app; it's not yet available on the desktop or web versions.
Setting a time limit: Users will be able to set a daily time limit in the app, such as 30 minutes or 1 hour.
Check in settings: If the app is updated, search for 'Shorts timer' in the settings and set the limit.
When the time is up: Once the limit is reached, a pop-up will appear, saying, "Your time is up, take a break now," and the Shorts feed will pause.
Removing Prompts: Currently, users can delete this prompt and resume scrolling.

Control: Currently, users will be able to control themselves. This will be further tightened later, preventing users from easily scrolling.

Parental Controls: Parental controls will also be added, allowing parents to set limits for children, and children will not be able to dismiss the prompt.

Why is this feature important and who will benefit?

People scroll for hours on end due to addiction, losing track of time. According to research, endless scrolling distracts attention, hinders learning, and impairs the brain's reward system. Scrolling weakens impulse control and increases anxiety.

The platform already has 'Take a Break' (15, 30, 60, and 90-minute reminders) and 'Bedtime Reminders'. Now, with the addition of a timer feature, the new focus is on Shorts, which consumes the most time.

This new feature will save time, increase productivity, and reduce phone addiction. Students, professionals, and parents of children will benefit from it.

How did YouTube begin?

In 2004, three friends—Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim—who had all worked at the online payment system PayPal (an American multinational financial technology company)—met at a dinner party in San Francisco. They hatched a plan to launch an online dating service. The domain name YouTube.com was launched on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2005. Its first office was set up in a garage.

When the dating service failed, it became a video streaming platform.

Time passed, but no videos were uploaded. After the idea failed, Jawed Karim, one of the three founders, uploaded the first video on April 23, 2005. The video was titled "Me at the Zoo." In this 19-second video, Jawed Kareem himself was seen talking to elephants at the San Diego Zoo.

By September 2005, YouTube's first video had received over 1 million views. Today, that video has 260 million views and 13 million likes. Jawed created a trial channel, where "Me at the Zoo" is the only video uploaded in 18 years. This is where YouTube transformed from a dating site into a video platform.

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Became the Fastest-Growing Site in a Year

Seeing the initial growth, PayPal CFO Roelof Botha also invested, and YouTube began to receive investors. By May 2005, just a month after its launch, YouTube.com was receiving over 30,000 users daily, and within six months, this number reached 2 million users. In 2006, YouTube was the fastest-growing site.