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

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

#81

Post by coffeecoders »

zem wrote: post #77
coffeecoders wrote: post #63

This is one of those things that should be unnecessary if we all had perfect self-control, but the reality is these apps are engineered explicitly to bypass that. It feels a bit silly to need guardrails for something as trivial as scrolling. Shameless personal plug: I wrote about it here. https://nabraj.com/blog/swipe-scroll-repeat-addiction/

would also be unnecessary if these apps respected the user rather than trying to addict them

Hard to exercise willpower when the whole system is tuned up against it.

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

#82

Post by madamelic »

coffeecoders wrote: post #63

This is one of those things that should be unnecessary if we all had perfect self-control, but the reality is these apps are engineered explicitly to bypass that. It feels a bit silly to need guardrails for something as trivial as scrolling. Shameless personal plug: I wrote about it here. https://nabraj.com/blog/swipe-scroll-repeat-addiction/

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.

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

#84

Post by madamelic »

Better suggestion: block these sites entirely. Reddit and YouTube are wastes of time if you are just 'checking in'.

Use YouTube-DL to download videos from specific creators and watch independently. I haven't figured out how to view the actually useful subreddits without having access to the frontpage feeds.

Feeds are one of the worst things to be invented in the Internet age. I can't imagine how far behind we are because they've caught otherwise smart people in this insane dopamine trap.

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

#85

Post by cantor_S_drug »

zem wrote: post #77
coffeecoders wrote: post #63

This is one of those things that should be unnecessary if we all had perfect self-control, but the reality is these apps are engineered explicitly to bypass that. It feels a bit silly to need guardrails for something as trivial as scrolling. Shameless personal plug: I wrote about it here. https://nabraj.com/blog/swipe-scroll-repeat-addiction/

would also be unnecessary if these apps respected the user rather than trying to addict them

More time spent implies more ads shown implies proportional conversion.

Also now that we have two big companies vying for attention, the competition is fierce to show "relevant ads" first because both receive intent almost simultaneously.

I got a youtube short of an office chair company in the feed. I wasn't looking for it explicitly. It was organic feed. Almost immediately I got an ad for that same chair in gmail. Because all of our phones are always listening for intents and keywords. This is recursive ad slop.

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

#86

Post by anonu »

Removing the apps was the biggest solve for me. I still maintain some social accounts, but not having the native app reduces time spent considerably.

I am addicted to YouTube Shorts. It would be fine if it wasn't the first thing you see when you open YouTube. But often, I will open the app and then completely forget what long-form video I wanted to search for because the Shorts got me. It is insidious. The youtube app even asked me once - in some sort of survey - if I enjoyed seeing Shorts first thing and I said no. Nothing changed.

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

#87

Post by jajko »

coffeecoders wrote: post #63

This is one of those things that should be unnecessary if we all had perfect self-control, but the reality is these apps are engineered explicitly to bypass that. It feels a bit silly to need guardrails for something as trivial as scrolling. Shameless personal plug: I wrote about it here. https://nabraj.com/blog/swipe-scroll-repeat-addiction/

A very effective partial solution - there is absolutely 0 reason to have any meta app cancers on phones/tablets. Just let them go, leave them for laptop/desktop and you are more than 50% there. This way they lose a lot of their instant addictivity.

Same goes for tiktok and similar other shit forming and then feeding on addictions. Everything becomes much easier afterwards, especially long term.

I removed FB apps quite some years ago when they were draining batteries of phones even when not used, a typical bad engineering that facebook seems to never get rid off (their web had always some issues, stuff doesn't work, feed doesn't load, comments fail or get posted 2x, albums don't upload all photos etc. with just ublock origin on firefox on fiber optic). I just don't need even their messenger, any worthy contacts can be migrated to other apps.

The exception to all above - whatsapp, simply too much used in Europe and literally everywhere else outside of US. But that's much better engineered product from start.

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

#88

Post by yreg »

madamelic wrote: post #84

Better suggestion: block these sites entirely. Reddit and YouTube are wastes of time if you are just 'checking in'. Use YouTube-DL to download videos from specific creators and watch independently. I haven't figured out how to view the actually useful subreddits without having access to the frontpage feeds. Feeds are one of the worst things to be invented in the Internet age. I can't imagine how far behind we are bec…

> Reddit and YouTube are wastes of time if you are just 'checking in'.

I disagree, YouTube has plenty of creative and interesting content if one has enough will to fight the nonsense that the algorithm shovels at you.

Same goes for reddit actually, and reddit is pretty trivial to filter. Subscribe only to the communities that you find worth it and don't open /r/popular etc.

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

#89

Post by grgergo »

NalNezumi wrote: post #6

I would love it. I'm currently using DFInstagram, which removes home feed. Only downside I see is that is also removes Instagram stories which I do like to check, but I can do that from PC if I want. As for YouTube I can already remove 99% of the distraction by just putting things to private and completely remove recommendations on home page, but reddit / Twitter / Facebook would be great. For the social medias I'd l…

F.B. Purity[1] works great for Facebook. It can selectively remove ads, suggested crap, reels, etc.

[1]: https://www.fbpurity.com/

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

#90

Post by TheCapeGreek »

madamelic wrote: post #84

Better suggestion: block these sites entirely. Reddit and YouTube are wastes of time if you are just 'checking in'. Use YouTube-DL to download videos from specific creators and watch independently. I haven't figured out how to view the actually useful subreddits without having access to the frontpage feeds. Feeds are one of the worst things to be invented in the Internet age. I can't imagine how far behind we are bec…

I keep Instagram to keep in touch with friends abroad.

I keep Facebook because certain communities and events only happen there.

For some of us, it is plain better to only block short form video.

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