6 ms·

Show HN: Dull – Instagram Without Reels, YouTube Without Shorts (iOS)

153 points by kasparnoor 6mo ago

I kept deleting and redownloading Instagram because I couldn't stop watching Reels but needed the app for DMs. Tried screen time limits, just overrode them. So I built this. Dull loads Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X and filters out short-form content with a mix of CSS and JS injection. MutationObserver handles anything that lazy-loads after the page renders, which is most of the annoying stuff since these platforms love to load content dynamically. The ongoing work is maintaining the filters. Platforms change their DOM all the time, Instagram obfuscates class names, YouTube restructures how Shorts appear in the feed, etc. It's a cat-and-mouse thing that never really ends. Also has grayscale mode, time limits, and usage tracking. Happy to answer questions.

SoKamil 6mo ago
This could have been Safari Extension
- mind_heist 6mo ago
  Instagram is not predominantly used on Safari, so Safari doesn't sound like the best place to implement something like this.
  - nativeit 6mo ago
    Isn’t this just WebKit with some user scripts anyway?
  - dnlzro 6mo ago
    The use case for this app (Dull): 1. Uninstall Instagram 2. Install Dull 3. Use Instagram via Dull The use case for a Safari extension: 1. Uninstall Instagram 2. Install the Safari extension 3. Use Instagram via Safari Am I missing something that is obviously better about Dull (which couldn't be replicated by a Safari extension)? (P.S. this is not meant to discourage the developer of Dull; I like the idea and your implementation seems really good.)
  - kelnos 6mo ago
    If someone is already sold on the idea of uninstalling the Instagram app and using something else to access Instagram, how is it better to install a different app, vs. using the already-installed browser, with an extension?
  - SoKamil 6mo ago
    But this is a web wrapper, same experience but in a container with no further customization allowed
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  A Safari extension could handle some of it, but Dull also does usage tracking, time limits, quiet hours, and grayscale mode which all need to live at the app level. The filtering itself could be an extension, but the broader goal is reducing how much time you spend there, not just hiding elements. For example we added a feature in today's update that let's you choose what is the intention of opening app. Like if intention is to open DMs then you open just to DMs. Another way of reducing distractions.
bryanhogan 6mo ago
Sounds like a good project, I also hate that Instagram pushes algorithm-driven content into your face everywhere without any options to turn it off, it's good to fight against these toxic dark design patterns. Can also recommend using Instagram with the IGPlus web extension. Or for a native Android version there's also DFinstagram. For YouTube there are many web extensions as well. On Android the YouTube ReVanced patch is really good though. IGPlus: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/igplus-extension/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/igplus-extens... DFinstagram: https://www.distractionfreeapps.com https://www.distractionfreeapps.com
- princevegeta89 6mo ago
  Well, you don't even have to fight these patterns or these apps Just stop using these stupid apps overall. 95% of the content you find on them is useless. And today, a staggering amount of content is also fake AI crap. Save your sanity and time and remove these apps.
  - dlev_pika 6mo ago
    I’ve gone cold turkey to preserve my mental health, and it’s been amazing. FB & IG completely screwed my dopamine / reward cycle. I only miss FB marketplace. Rest, I’m crushing it.
  - bryanhogan 6mo ago
    Yes, I think it's good to uninstall these apps from time to time as well. Deleting and never using them again doesn't work for everyone though. For me it's useful to stay in contact with people, I also use them to promote work as well as find cool events.
    - skeeter2020 6mo ago
      >> I also use them to promote work as well as find cool events. - like everyone else, hence the algo-driven push to keep you engaged and scrolling.
- 6mo ago
danpalmer 6mo ago
Doing this as a browser extension is one thing, but selling an interface to Instagram and YouTube sounds like it's very risky. What's your basis for thinking this will work long term? I see you're selling yearly or lifetime subscriptions, suggesting you think the product can exist. There have been many attempts at this in the past that have been taken down, why is Dull different?
- buzzerbetrayed 6mo ago
  Why wouldn’t making a paid web browser be legal?
  - danpalmer 6mo ago
    Obviously it isn't, but also obviously: this isn't a web browser in anything but technical implementation. It's a packaged, sold, interface to a proprietary service with a set of T&Cs that they are free to enforce. Also every single one of these that I've seen before has fallen down in the same way. Chat apps that embed Facebook, third party YouTube viewer for Apple's VR headset, various other third party Instagram apps, etc.
  - Gigachad 6mo ago
    Even if it is legal, meta and google will just block you from accessing the service.
    - nslsm 6mo ago
      How?
      - iugtmkbdfil834 6mo ago
        Like most things.. it is a cat and mouse game dependent on how heavily they believe their revenue could be impacted. I am not sure why you think either of those corporates would have a problem of banning individual users, who are only suspected based on the app signature..
convexly 6mo ago
The fact that someone had to build a separate app just to get the version of Instagram from 5 years ago says a lot.
- quangtrn 6mo ago
  [dead]
- Gigachad 6mo ago
  I hate how we have bundled useful things alongside addiction building media. It’s like if supermarkets had drugs next to the vegetables. You can’t just leave your phone at home because you need it to 2FA at work or maps. But then you end up scrolling shorts and other junk.
  - red369 6mo ago
    My favourite recent discovery is Assistive Access in the iOS Accessibility settings. You pick the apps you want access to (and set privacy permissions), then when you launch the mode your iPhone only shows those apps. If you feel a sudden compulsion to access something you didn't allow yourself, you have to exit the mode, which takes as long as a reboot. There are quite a few limitations of this mode, so it won't be for everyone (or maybe anyone on here?) but it's a pretty good detox. A lot stronger than screentime restrictions.
  - normie3000 6mo ago
    Well supermarkets do have high-sugar ultraprocessed snacks right next to the check-out counter, so I think your analogy is spot on. Now I just need to vibecode a plugin for my smart glasses to filter out those snacks.
  - DANmode 6mo ago
    > But then you end up scrolling shorts and other junk. I do not, because I didn’t install any drugs next to the vegetables.
joenot443 6mo ago
How does your system differ from an extension like this? https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/remove-youtube-shorts/mgngbgbhliflggkamjnpdmegbkidiapm https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/remove-youtube-shor...
- sidrag22 6mo ago
  On firefox i use unhook for youtube. solves the shorts issue but im sure a lot of people would be less okay with what i prefer youtube to be, a search bar with nothing else.
bonyt 6mo ago
For YouTube, I've used it in Safari on iOS for a while with UnTrap for YouTube that lets you disable short[1]. On desktop, a uBlock origin filter works[2]. [1]: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/untrap-for-youtube/id1637438059 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/untrap-for-youtube/id163743805... [2]: https://github.com/i5heu/ublock-hide-yt-shorts https://github.com/i5heu/ublock-hide-yt-shorts
- nicbou 6mo ago
  Untrap is solid. For Firefox I use Unhook
dlev_pika 6mo ago
Is this a way to use FB marketplace and groups without all the other bullshit?! I’m sold
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  Yeah, Facebook through Dull gives you marketplace and groups without the news feed and suggested content. It's probably the cleanest version of Facebook I've used in years.
tombert 6mo ago
Does anyone know if the "Show Fewer Shorts" thing on YouTube actually does anything? I choose that every time it gives me shorts and as far as I can tell the frequency isn't being decreased at all.
- Brajeshwar 6mo ago
  I think it lasts for about a month.
  - tombert 6mo ago
    It doesn't seem to work for even a week though. In fact I'm not sure it lasts even a day; I feel like I'll do "show fewer shorts" and still see a bunch of shorts recommendations a few hours later. I wish they would just have a "don't show shorts at all" option.
  - ehnto 6mo ago
    Such a scummy UX pattern, a long with the "not right now" or "maybe later" stuff. The argument I have heard is that a user might forget they disabled the feature, but perhaps they actually wanted it. Apparently we're all too stupid to use a Settings section. I am definitely seeing a dichotomy in software, there is software that accepts you have your own brain cells capable of operating the software. Then there is the software that expects, hopes even, that you only spark enough neurons together when the jolt of a video finishing rattles your brain, enough to scroll to the next one. We should stop using the dumb software, lest we be trained to be dumb too.
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  I haven't even seen this option? Where is it
jditu 6mo ago
[dead]
skeeter2020 6mo ago
Congratulations on creating a slightly healthier cigarette.
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  Thanks! If one can't completely quit cigarettes, I'd prefer they smoke on a healthier one.
- mtrifonov 6mo ago
  the problem isn't that these apps are engaging. it's that the engagement has no nutritional value. scrolling reels is the digital equivalent of eating sugar, leaving you emptier than when you started. the apps that actually work for people long-term are the ones where the engagement is the byproduct of something real happening. filtering out the sugar doesn't fix the diet.
DanDeBugger 6mo ago
Man, the idea is great, theoretically the human nature would permit this needn't exist, but alas. The concept is awesome, but what are the long term implications of this I mean, in regards to implementation?
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  The platforms change their DOM, so I need to keep the filters up to date. But I use this app myself and have 10+ active testers who instantly notify me of any bugs.
squigz 6mo ago
Free for 3 days. $4 a month. Meanwhile I've had a uBlock Origin list selected since before I can remember and never see shorts or reels or anything else I don't want to. For free. We've really lost something with everything being mobile apps...
Ethanalker 6mo ago
[dead]
loopzy 6mo ago
[dead]
tim-projects 6mo ago
> I kept deleting and redownloading Instagram because I couldn't stop watching Reels but needed the app for DMs. Using Instagram only for DMs just means you shouldn't be using it.
- amtunlimited 6mo ago
  Unfortunately not really an option in a lot of business. There's a ton of services where Instagram is both your portfolio and an important first point of contact.
- cemregr 6mo ago
  I made a similar app, it’s called “Only DMs” free on the app store :)
- williamdclt 6mo ago
  I don't make the choice of how individuals in my social circle uses to communicate. Giving up being in contact with some of my friends/acquaintances is too bad a trade-off.
  - AlexeyBelov 6mo ago
    Your friends don't have WhatsApp or Telegram?
chrisvenum 6mo ago
Brave browser also has the ability to disable YouTube shorts and “distracting” ui elements like related videos in their settings. Works great on desktop/ios
bbangjo 6mo ago
really interesting app :)
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  Thank you so much!
vishalvi 6mo ago
Smart approach using MutationObserver to catch dynamically loaded content. Though I wonder if blocking the content only treats the symptom. The real problem is the shortened attention span. Could also be really useful for parents trying to manage screen time for their kids.
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  I think the symptom is a self repeating loop that gets worse. they watch the short form content, which makes them more and more addicted to it. So breaking out of it, may get some of that attention span back. I already feel mine starting to return a bit. Been reading more books lately and just feeling a bit happier That's an interesting angle on the parental control, by the way.
weiyong1024 6mo ago
[flagged]
c-c-c-c-c 6mo ago
i will never pay to not access apps on my phone. On iOS i use ublock origin and userscripts to block all shorts and ads.
android521 6mo ago
please add wechat (without short videos)
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  Interesting request. I haven't looked into WeChat's web version but I'll check if the short video content is filterable. No promises but noted. We've also gotten requests for Snapchat and TikTok.
swaminarayan 6mo ago
i like this idea, especially for the parent who dont want their kids to watch reels/shorts of the instagram and youtube apps.
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  That is a smart angle!
Poacher5 6mo ago
What does this have that Youtube Vanced/Revanced doesn't already do for the cost of about half an hour of your time messing with sideloading and getting a clean youtube APK file? I already block all shorts through that. It's not perfect, but you admit you're playing whack-a-mole with the filtering just the same as the Revanced devs.
- halapro 6mo ago
  Instagram and Facebook support for once
e12e 6mo ago
Not sure what this app does for Facebook - but I'm a quite happy user of: https://www.beeper.com/ https://www.beeper.com/ Allows me to use Instagram messages without the app - as well as (Facebook/meta) Messenger (and others). I do wish they had a "support us" subscription tier, as I think the base price is a little steep - and I don't really need any of the paid features. Maybe something around the third or quarter the price. I would hope that would lead to more users subscribing.
- halapro 6mo ago
  Beeper is a good solution. To bad I still have Instagram next to it and prefer it because my friends send me reels anyway
  - e12e 6mo ago
    One thing I like is the possibility to turn off notifications on other apps - and then dms become/remain push (beeper) other SoMe crap become pull (check when actively opening the app).
- hmokiguess 6mo ago
  how does beeper handles things like discord threads/channels etc? and rich previews of stuff like links, embeds, and whatnot? I'm curious about it!
  - e12e 6mo ago
    Discord is the only app I still run with notifications enabled along with beeper - beeper handle dms, discord handle the rest. Allows me to check only beeper for dms across services - and keep discord for channels etc.
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  This seems like a really cool solution! Does it adhere to TOS of the services?
bKHjNaz23wJ 6mo ago
[dead]
hellweaver666 6mo ago
Just installed... this is super interesting. Shorts are my kryptonite and I've been looking for something that gives me YouTube without the crap for a while now! BTW... just so you know, you have to uninstall the official app otherwise YouTube just redirects you.
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  Thank you! I am shipping the YouTube redirect issue in the next update. Currently you can circumvent it by going back to dull and trying again after being redirected, but it's super annoying and I will fix!
blef 6mo ago
I really like the YouTube app to be honest and I really dislike the web version, so to me it does not work.
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  My biggest wish was that you could disable reels/shorts, etc on the native apps. But unless there is some regulation, it won't happen. I actually made a citizen's suggestion to EU some time ago, but that did not pan out.
codethief 6mo ago
I've been using News Feed Eradicator[0], a Firefox/Chrome extension, for the same purpose and it's been working really well. For most sites you can configure what should vs. should not be "eradicated". [0]: https://github.com/jordwest/news-feed-eradicator https://github.com/jordwest/news-feed-eradicator
adithyassekhar 6mo ago
Seeing all the reactions here, I can tell apart those of us who grew up in the wild west of the internet and those unfortunate to grow up in a vendor controlled, app world.
block_dagger 6mo ago
Dark UI pattern on install. Hits you with sub screen after prompting user for preferences. Uninstalled immediately.
theusus 6mo ago
Why would I pay for a pwa with some elements blocked?
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  There's also time limits, challenges before opening apps to create fiction, quiet hours so u don't scroll at night, usage tracking, opening with intention so it asks what u wanna do in the app, and then let's u for example only stay in DM's tab.
adrianhacar 6mo ago
I built some time ago ScrollGuard (https://scrollguard.app https://scrollguard.app) that tackles this same problem from two different angles for Android and iOS. On Android has been on the Play Store for over a year. Instead of injecting CSS/JS into a webview, it uses Android's AccessibilityService to detect reels/shorts directly in the native apps and block them. You keep using Instagram, YouTube, etc. normally as native apps, no WebView. On iOS: It uses Content Blockers. The rules run at the WebKit level with zero data access, the extension literally cannot see what you browse, it just receives the filter rules and applies them. No JS injection, no network requests. It also has an app redirection feature: you set up an iOS Shortcut so that when you tap the native Instagram/YouTube app, it automatically opens the filtered web version with all the blocking rules applied. So you never accidentally land in the native app and you can keep the native app for notifications.
- soared 6mo ago
  The app works great, but my god the dark patterns are wildly aggressive. I was very close to uninstalling when setting up YouTube because a pricing page pops up that gives no free option, but if you click the hidden x on the top left you can continue as a free user. I like the functionality (finally restricted my YouTube to subscriptions only), but the app feels super scummy. I’d be more inclined to pay $2/mo if it didn’t seem sketchy.
hjsarker 6mo ago
I am not thinking about anything else but the Idea is soo cool man
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  Thank you so much!!!
arnav7717 6mo ago
Looks interesting but would never ever pay for this. I think an approach to redirect reels time to something else would more beneifical.
ensotrade_tech 6mo ago
how did you literally "remove" the reels from the instagram? claude code or something?
- kasparnoor 6mo ago
  It is basically like a browser that "inspect elements" away the addicting parts of social media.
delwise23 6mo ago
[dead]
ozgurds 6mo ago
Recently I searched for YouTube without shorts for Android. And didn't end up with a reasonable product. I think there is a market for Android as well

153 points by kasparnoor 6mo ago

SoKamil 6mo ago

This could have been Safari Extension

mind_heist 6mo ago
Instagram is not predominantly used on Safari, so Safari doesn't sound like the best place to implement something like this.
- nativeit 6mo ago
  Isn’t this just WebKit with some user scripts anyway?
- dnlzro 6mo ago
  The use case for this app (Dull): 1. Uninstall Instagram 2. Install Dull 3. Use Instagram via Dull The use case for a Safari extension: 1. Uninstall Instagram 2. Install the Safari extension 3. Use Instagram via Safari Am I missing something that is obviously better about Dull (which couldn't be replicated by a Safari extension)? (P.S. this is not meant to discourage the developer of Dull; I like the idea and your implementation seems really good.)
- kelnos 6mo ago
  If someone is already sold on the idea of uninstalling the Instagram app and using something else to access Instagram, how is it better to install a different app, vs. using the already-installed browser, with an extension?
- SoKamil 6mo ago
  But this is a web wrapper, same experience but in a container with no further customization allowed
kasparnoor 6mo ago
A Safari extension could handle some of it, but Dull also does usage tracking, time limits, quiet hours, and grayscale mode which all need to live at the app level. The filtering itself could be an extension, but the broader goal is reducing how much time you spend there, not just hiding elements. For example we added a feature in today's update that let's you choose what is the intention of opening app. Like if intention is to open DMs then you open just to DMs. Another way of reducing distractions.

bryanhogan 6mo ago

Sounds like a good project, I also hate that Instagram pushes algorithm-driven content into your face everywhere without any options to turn it off, it's good to fight against these toxic dark design patterns. Can also recommend using Instagram with the IGPlus web extension. Or for a native Android version there's also DFinstagram. For YouTube there are many web extensions as well. On Android the YouTube ReVanced patch is really good though. IGPlus: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/igplus-extension/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/igplus-extens... DFinstagram: https://www.distractionfreeapps.com https://www.distractionfreeapps.com

princevegeta89 6mo ago
Well, you don't even have to fight these patterns or these apps Just stop using these stupid apps overall. 95% of the content you find on them is useless. And today, a staggering amount of content is also fake AI crap. Save your sanity and time and remove these apps.
- dlev_pika 6mo ago
  I’ve gone cold turkey to preserve my mental health, and it’s been amazing. FB & IG completely screwed my dopamine / reward cycle. I only miss FB marketplace. Rest, I’m crushing it.
- bryanhogan 6mo ago
  Yes, I think it's good to uninstall these apps from time to time as well. Deleting and never using them again doesn't work for everyone though. For me it's useful to stay in contact with people, I also use them to promote work as well as find cool events.
  - skeeter2020 6mo ago
    >> I also use them to promote work as well as find cool events. - like everyone else, hence the algo-driven push to keep you engaged and scrolling.
6mo ago

danpalmer 6mo ago

Doing this as a browser extension is one thing, but selling an interface to Instagram and YouTube sounds like it's very risky. What's your basis for thinking this will work long term? I see you're selling yearly or lifetime subscriptions, suggesting you think the product can exist. There have been many attempts at this in the past that have been taken down, why is Dull different?

buzzerbetrayed 6mo ago
Why wouldn’t making a paid web browser be legal?
- danpalmer 6mo ago
  Obviously it isn't, but also obviously: this isn't a web browser in anything but technical implementation. It's a packaged, sold, interface to a proprietary service with a set of T&Cs that they are free to enforce. Also every single one of these that I've seen before has fallen down in the same way. Chat apps that embed Facebook, third party YouTube viewer for Apple's VR headset, various other third party Instagram apps, etc.
- Gigachad 6mo ago
  Even if it is legal, meta and google will just block you from accessing the service.
  - nslsm 6mo ago
    How?
    - iugtmkbdfil834 6mo ago
      Like most things.. it is a cat and mouse game dependent on how heavily they believe their revenue could be impacted. I am not sure why you think either of those corporates would have a problem of banning individual users, who are only suspected based on the app signature..

convexly 6mo ago

The fact that someone had to build a separate app just to get the version of Instagram from 5 years ago says a lot.

quangtrn 6mo ago
[dead]
Gigachad 6mo ago
I hate how we have bundled useful things alongside addiction building media. It’s like if supermarkets had drugs next to the vegetables. You can’t just leave your phone at home because you need it to 2FA at work or maps. But then you end up scrolling shorts and other junk.
- red369 6mo ago
  My favourite recent discovery is Assistive Access in the iOS Accessibility settings. You pick the apps you want access to (and set privacy permissions), then when you launch the mode your iPhone only shows those apps. If you feel a sudden compulsion to access something you didn't allow yourself, you have to exit the mode, which takes as long as a reboot. There are quite a few limitations of this mode, so it won't be for everyone (or maybe anyone on here?) but it's a pretty good detox. A lot stronger than screentime restrictions.
- normie3000 6mo ago
  Well supermarkets do have high-sugar ultraprocessed snacks right next to the check-out counter, so I think your analogy is spot on. Now I just need to vibecode a plugin for my smart glasses to filter out those snacks.
- DANmode 6mo ago
  > But then you end up scrolling shorts and other junk. I do not, because I didn’t install any drugs next to the vegetables.

joenot443 6mo ago

How does your system differ from an extension like this? https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/remove-youtube-shorts/mgngbgbhliflggkamjnpdmegbkidiapm https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/remove-youtube-shor...

sidrag22 6mo ago
On firefox i use unhook for youtube. solves the shorts issue but im sure a lot of people would be less okay with what i prefer youtube to be, a search bar with nothing else.

bonyt 6mo ago

For YouTube, I've used it in Safari on iOS for a while with UnTrap for YouTube that lets you disable short[1]. On desktop, a uBlock origin filter works[2]. [1]: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/untrap-for-youtube/id1637438059 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/untrap-for-youtube/id163743805... [2]: https://github.com/i5heu/ublock-hide-yt-shorts https://github.com/i5heu/ublock-hide-yt-shorts

nicbou 6mo ago
Untrap is solid. For Firefox I use Unhook

dlev_pika 6mo ago

Is this a way to use FB marketplace and groups without all the other bullshit?! I’m sold

kasparnoor 6mo ago
Yeah, Facebook through Dull gives you marketplace and groups without the news feed and suggested content. It's probably the cleanest version of Facebook I've used in years.

tombert 6mo ago

Does anyone know if the "Show Fewer Shorts" thing on YouTube actually does anything? I choose that every time it gives me shorts and as far as I can tell the frequency isn't being decreased at all.

Brajeshwar 6mo ago
I think it lasts for about a month.
- tombert 6mo ago
  It doesn't seem to work for even a week though. In fact I'm not sure it lasts even a day; I feel like I'll do "show fewer shorts" and still see a bunch of shorts recommendations a few hours later. I wish they would just have a "don't show shorts at all" option.
- ehnto 6mo ago
  Such a scummy UX pattern, a long with the "not right now" or "maybe later" stuff. The argument I have heard is that a user might forget they disabled the feature, but perhaps they actually wanted it. Apparently we're all too stupid to use a Settings section. I am definitely seeing a dichotomy in software, there is software that accepts you have your own brain cells capable of operating the software. Then there is the software that expects, hopes even, that you only spark enough neurons together when the jolt of a video finishing rattles your brain, enough to scroll to the next one. We should stop using the dumb software, lest we be trained to be dumb too.
kasparnoor 6mo ago
I haven't even seen this option? Where is it

jditu 6mo ago

[dead]

skeeter2020 6mo ago

Congratulations on creating a slightly healthier cigarette.

kasparnoor 6mo ago
Thanks! If one can't completely quit cigarettes, I'd prefer they smoke on a healthier one.
mtrifonov 6mo ago
the problem isn't that these apps are engaging. it's that the engagement has no nutritional value. scrolling reels is the digital equivalent of eating sugar, leaving you emptier than when you started. the apps that actually work for people long-term are the ones where the engagement is the byproduct of something real happening. filtering out the sugar doesn't fix the diet.

DanDeBugger 6mo ago

Man, the idea is great, theoretically the human nature would permit this needn't exist, but alas. The concept is awesome, but what are the long term implications of this I mean, in regards to implementation?

kasparnoor 6mo ago
The platforms change their DOM, so I need to keep the filters up to date. But I use this app myself and have 10+ active testers who instantly notify me of any bugs.

squigz 6mo ago

Free for 3 days. $4 a month. Meanwhile I've had a uBlock Origin list selected since before I can remember and never see shorts or reels or anything else I don't want to. For free. We've really lost something with everything being mobile apps...

Ethanalker 6mo ago

[dead]

loopzy 6mo ago

[dead]

tim-projects 6mo ago

> I kept deleting and redownloading Instagram because I couldn't stop watching Reels but needed the app for DMs. Using Instagram only for DMs just means you shouldn't be using it.

amtunlimited 6mo ago
Unfortunately not really an option in a lot of business. There's a ton of services where Instagram is both your portfolio and an important first point of contact.
cemregr 6mo ago
I made a similar app, it’s called “Only DMs” free on the app store :)
williamdclt 6mo ago
I don't make the choice of how individuals in my social circle uses to communicate. Giving up being in contact with some of my friends/acquaintances is too bad a trade-off.
- AlexeyBelov 6mo ago
  Your friends don't have WhatsApp or Telegram?

chrisvenum 6mo ago

Brave browser also has the ability to disable YouTube shorts and “distracting” ui elements like related videos in their settings. Works great on desktop/ios

bbangjo 6mo ago

really interesting app :)

kasparnoor 6mo ago
Thank you so much!

vishalvi 6mo ago

Smart approach using MutationObserver to catch dynamically loaded content. Though I wonder if blocking the content only treats the symptom. The real problem is the shortened attention span. Could also be really useful for parents trying to manage screen time for their kids.

kasparnoor 6mo ago
I think the symptom is a self repeating loop that gets worse. they watch the short form content, which makes them more and more addicted to it. So breaking out of it, may get some of that attention span back. I already feel mine starting to return a bit. Been reading more books lately and just feeling a bit happier That's an interesting angle on the parental control, by the way.

weiyong1024 6mo ago

[flagged]

c-c-c-c-c 6mo ago

i will never pay to not access apps on my phone. On iOS i use ublock origin and userscripts to block all shorts and ads.

android521 6mo ago

please add wechat (without short videos)

kasparnoor 6mo ago
Interesting request. I haven't looked into WeChat's web version but I'll check if the short video content is filterable. No promises but noted. We've also gotten requests for Snapchat and TikTok.

swaminarayan 6mo ago

i like this idea, especially for the parent who dont want their kids to watch reels/shorts of the instagram and youtube apps.

kasparnoor 6mo ago
That is a smart angle!

Poacher5 6mo ago

What does this have that Youtube Vanced/Revanced doesn't already do for the cost of about half an hour of your time messing with sideloading and getting a clean youtube APK file? I already block all shorts through that. It's not perfect, but you admit you're playing whack-a-mole with the filtering just the same as the Revanced devs.

halapro 6mo ago
Instagram and Facebook support for once

e12e 6mo ago

Not sure what this app does for Facebook - but I'm a quite happy user of: https://www.beeper.com/ https://www.beeper.com/ Allows me to use Instagram messages without the app - as well as (Facebook/meta) Messenger (and others). I do wish they had a "support us" subscription tier, as I think the base price is a little steep - and I don't really need any of the paid features. Maybe something around the third or quarter the price. I would hope that would lead to more users subscribing.

halapro 6mo ago
Beeper is a good solution. To bad I still have Instagram next to it and prefer it because my friends send me reels anyway
- e12e 6mo ago
  One thing I like is the possibility to turn off notifications on other apps - and then dms become/remain push (beeper) other SoMe crap become pull (check when actively opening the app).
hmokiguess 6mo ago
how does beeper handles things like discord threads/channels etc? and rich previews of stuff like links, embeds, and whatnot? I'm curious about it!
- e12e 6mo ago
  Discord is the only app I still run with notifications enabled along with beeper - beeper handle dms, discord handle the rest. Allows me to check only beeper for dms across services - and keep discord for channels etc.
kasparnoor 6mo ago
This seems like a really cool solution! Does it adhere to TOS of the services?

bKHjNaz23wJ 6mo ago

[dead]

hellweaver666 6mo ago

Just installed... this is super interesting. Shorts are my kryptonite and I've been looking for something that gives me YouTube without the crap for a while now! BTW... just so you know, you have to uninstall the official app otherwise YouTube just redirects you.

kasparnoor 6mo ago
Thank you! I am shipping the YouTube redirect issue in the next update. Currently you can circumvent it by going back to dull and trying again after being redirected, but it's super annoying and I will fix!

blef 6mo ago

I really like the YouTube app to be honest and I really dislike the web version, so to me it does not work.

kasparnoor 6mo ago
My biggest wish was that you could disable reels/shorts, etc on the native apps. But unless there is some regulation, it won't happen. I actually made a citizen's suggestion to EU some time ago, but that did not pan out.

codethief 6mo ago

I've been using News Feed Eradicator[0], a Firefox/Chrome extension, for the same purpose and it's been working really well. For most sites you can configure what should vs. should not be "eradicated". [0]: https://github.com/jordwest/news-feed-eradicator https://github.com/jordwest/news-feed-eradicator

adithyassekhar 6mo ago

Seeing all the reactions here, I can tell apart those of us who grew up in the wild west of the internet and those unfortunate to grow up in a vendor controlled, app world.

block_dagger 6mo ago

Dark UI pattern on install. Hits you with sub screen after prompting user for preferences. Uninstalled immediately.

theusus 6mo ago

Why would I pay for a pwa with some elements blocked?

kasparnoor 6mo ago
There's also time limits, challenges before opening apps to create fiction, quiet hours so u don't scroll at night, usage tracking, opening with intention so it asks what u wanna do in the app, and then let's u for example only stay in DM's tab.

adrianhacar 6mo ago

I built some time ago ScrollGuard (https://scrollguard.app https://scrollguard.app) that tackles this same problem from two different angles for Android and iOS. On Android has been on the Play Store for over a year. Instead of injecting CSS/JS into a webview, it uses Android's AccessibilityService to detect reels/shorts directly in the native apps and block them. You keep using Instagram, YouTube, etc. normally as native apps, no WebView. On iOS: It uses Content Blockers. The rules run at the WebKit level with zero data access, the extension literally cannot see what you browse, it just receives the filter rules and applies them. No JS injection, no network requests. It also has an app redirection feature: you set up an iOS Shortcut so that when you tap the native Instagram/YouTube app, it automatically opens the filtered web version with all the blocking rules applied. So you never accidentally land in the native app and you can keep the native app for notifications.

soared 6mo ago
The app works great, but my god the dark patterns are wildly aggressive. I was very close to uninstalling when setting up YouTube because a pricing page pops up that gives no free option, but if you click the hidden x on the top left you can continue as a free user. I like the functionality (finally restricted my YouTube to subscriptions only), but the app feels super scummy. I’d be more inclined to pay $2/mo if it didn’t seem sketchy.

hjsarker 6mo ago

I am not thinking about anything else but the Idea is soo cool man

kasparnoor 6mo ago
Thank you so much!!!

arnav7717 6mo ago

Looks interesting but would never ever pay for this. I think an approach to redirect reels time to something else would more beneifical.

ensotrade_tech 6mo ago

how did you literally "remove" the reels from the instagram? claude code or something?

kasparnoor 6mo ago
It is basically like a browser that "inspect elements" away the addicting parts of social media.

delwise23 6mo ago

[dead]

ozgurds 6mo ago

Recently I searched for YouTube without shorts for Android. And didn't end up with a reasonable product. I think there is a market for Android as well