As we self-isolate in a collective effort to halt the spread of Coronavirus, we're living life online to a much greater extent. Even if you'd managed to cut back on screen time before the global pandemic took hold, you're probably going to become more reliant on your phone as the weeks go on.
Changes to Instagram are hardly the first of our worries right now, but they can still have an effect on our day-to-day lives as social media becomes a bigger part of the human interaction we crave. An account dedicated to gathering everyone's WFH outfits has already amassed 10,000 followers.
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If you're a big fan of the 'gram, you'll be disappointed to hear that new filters are on hold for now owing to the spread of COVID-19.
This is because Spark AR Studio, the company which approves Instagram and Facebook filters, has sent its employees home and doesn't currently have a system in place to enable them to do their jobs remotely.
The company wrote in a Facebook statement: "In response to COVID-19, we are working with our partners globally to send Spark AR reviewers home, for their health and the health of their communities. As a result, effects submitted to Facebook and Instagram will not be approved or published until further notice."
Spark AR Studio reassured creators that they can still submit new filters "to be reviewed at a later date", adding: "Some of our automated validation processes will still be active so creators can continue to get feedback on some aspects of their submissions."
They also reassured filter fans that the hold-up in approving new variations won't be permanent. "We’re actively exploring ways to offset this disruption and let creators get back to publishing," the company said. "We can’t yet provide exact timing on when this will happen, but we’ll share updates in Spark AR Hub when we’re able to."