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Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

scrollguard.app

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Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#111

Post by adrianhacar »

root_axis wrote: post #15

More power to you, but I don't understand the psychology of this kind of thing. If I have enough willpower to block a feature why not just use that will power to shut off the app after a while? I understand you're saying it's addictive, but if I were addicted to something then I'm going to be inclined to just remove the blocker. Anyway, this isn't a critique of your work, just my personal perspective.

The best way I can explain it's that sometimes I had willpower, but I lacked the awareness needed to actually use it. For example, when I was studying, I used to automatically take a break and open Instagram and start watching Reels, it was just a reflex. Now, I have a barrier that makes me aware of what I'm doing, so from this "awareness", is easier to to enforce willpower

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#112

Post by globular-toast »

ghurtado wrote: post #96
globular-toast wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it more surprising that scrolling is addictive versus, say, putting a stick of combusting plant matter in your mouth and inhaling the smoke?

Because you can describe the chemical interactions of nicotine with the human body to a high degree of accuracy, while the psychology of human attention in the 21st century is a subject that is very far from that cut and dry. That's why we invented a pill that helps with the former, but we might never have one that helps with the latter (although that would be nice)

Nicotine is not very addictive. Cigarettes is about the physical addiction.

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#113

Post by vlachen »

thinkling wrote: post #65

Instagram tip: if you click the wordlogo “Instagram” at the top (in the mobile app), you can select “Following” and get a feed of only posts from accounts you follow, with no suggested posts and no reels. I end up going through that feed in a few minutes and it insulates me from the endless scrolling.

Also works on the mobile page.

The other thing possible is to block certain post types with uBlock origin, on desktop or mobile:

  www.instagram.com##article:has-text(Suggested for you):style(visibility: hidden !important; height: 300px !important; overflow: hidden !important)
  www.instagram.com##article:has-text(Because you liked a post):style(visibility: hidden !important; height: 300px !important; overflow: hidden !important)

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#114

Post by hombre_fatal »

This kind of control is what we miss out on when we leave web apps for native apps.

Ideally this would just be a simple browser plugin.

But the app requires major accessibility permissions so that it can access the API it needs to see into the Android apps, something that doesn't even exist on iOS. Just to do what should amount things like deleting a ".reels" component.

That said, props to OP for figuring out how to build such a feature for mobile. Most of the Show HN's in this space are desktop-only thus kinda useless.

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#115

Post by monster_truck »

My thoughts are that you need to turn notifications off and delete these apps instead of whatever this "we promise we're not abusing accessibility to mine your information" bullshit is

We have a way of finding out what our actual, real friends are doing: it's called talking to them

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#116

Post by adrianhacar »

thinkling wrote: post #65

Instagram tip: if you click the wordlogo “Instagram” at the top (in the mobile app), you can select “Following” and get a feed of only posts from accounts you follow, with no suggested posts and no reels. I end up going through that feed in a few minutes and it insulates me from the endless scrolling.

I didn't know this one, thanks!

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#117

Post by neither_color »

pwdisswordfishz wrote: post #32

> I wanted to find a way to use Instagram without ending up scrolling for two hours every time I open the app to see a friend's story. Why not just Chrome/Firefox/Safari to open the link instead of the Instagram app?

One problem I have with all these self control style apps is that they only let you set total per day hourly limits. My intuition is that if you give yourself a two hour, one hour, even 30 minute limit per day you're still liable to drift into zombie mode and are more likely to want to unblock after that long brain rot session. My ideal blocking app wouldn't restrict your total per day, instead the key feature would be that you can only scroll for 5-10 minutes at a time with a cooling off period. That is, if you scroll for 5 minutes you then have to wait X minutes before you can scroll again. I think this should have a strong c-c-c-c-ombo breaker effect without giving you enough time to get hooked so badly that you immediately want to bypass it.

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#118

Post by chis »

ric2z wrote: post #45
semitones wrote: post #40

I already deleted the apps, and I mostly use Instagram and youtube in the browser. Any support for blocking reels in browser?

try this https://apps.apple.com/us/app/socialfocus-hide-distractions/...

Can confirm this one works great. Tons of nitty little options to customize what experience you get and the dev is clearly active.

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#119

Post by xp84 »

ghurtado wrote: post #93
madamelic wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's also not some "oopsie". It's almost certainly not news but these sites want these 'one more' behaviors. Years ago, I designed a minimalist YouTube player that removed video suggestions and autoplays but used their player, didn't evade ads, etc. I got banned by Google because they disallow any alternative site for YouTube, only embeds are allowed. Pretty sure I am still banned on all Google APIs too.

> I got banned by Google because they disallow any alternative site for YouTube, only embeds are allowed. I'm sorry that happened to you, but that seems like a perfectly reasonable policy. In fact, I would have assumed that's the case before reading your comment.

If it didn't evade ads though, while it's their right to have such a policy with their site, it's still quite a display of the utter contempt they have for their users. Unless they really believe with a straight face that 24 is a healthy optimum for 'YouTube watch hours per day.' Because that's the only number that would cause their brain-hacking to stop.

"You'll consume using our dark-patterned, unhealthy interface which we deeply tuned to maximize addiction and obsession, or you'll GTFO!" -Google.

Re: Show HN: I built an app to block Shorts and Reels

#120

Post by hmokiguess »

I find any kind of addiction has the same challenge towards breaking from the entrapment cycle which is to raise awareness and understanding then developing thoughtful thinking. Can an app really do that for us? Will it ever? Grounding yourself is such an organic thing to do.
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