Blacklist The Noisy Web
Try ignoring the sites that don't behave the way you want them to behave.
The Teardown
Thursday :: January 9th, 2024 :: Approx. 4 min read
👋 Hi, this is Chris with another issue of The Teardown. In every issue, I cover how we interact with technology that powers our day-to-day lives.
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Moderation: Oh Well?
Regular readers of this newsletter and of tech-anything or tech-adjacent writing know that social media companies struggle to moderate content. They filter explicit posts away from eyes while ensuring your pathway (on their platforms) to free speech. In theory, anyways.
You hear that free speech is under attack, right? It is their duty, then, to empower free speech exchange even when it displeases one, some, or all sides of the debate.
Of course, social media platforms strive to allow as much content as possible to feed more data and opportunities to advertisers - their true customers.
This post is not yet about Mark Zuckerberg’s move to reduce content moderation across Meta’s product suite. That post will come on Tuesday (1/14) after I craft a more coherent set of paragraphs.
Many people are for more moderation. Many people are against more moderation. I suspect many people don’t know what they want. They’ll complain endlessly about social media on, well, social media.
But there is one far less discussed option: abstinence. Taking a break.
Caveat: I know it is more popular than ever to write blog posts that describe quitting social media. This post is not a step-by-step guide to quitting.
We shouldn’t argue with each other about what words are allowed or banned. Instead, ignore the platforms altogether. Replace our words with actions.
My post about my relationship with tech caught your eyes. I described a complicated connection with technology I use and dangerous behavior patterns. Numerous folks asked me if I was ok. Did I need a vacation?
The answer: Yes, I’m ok. Doing quite well, actually. I’m not in physical danger. But I’m plenty self-aware and know a bad habit or behavior of mine the instant it appears.
So, just after that post, I added another tool to my internet usage reduction toolbox: blacklists. Do you use blacklist tools, extensions, or other similar utilities and are they effective?
I installed a Chrome extension called BlockSite that does exactly what you think: it blocks browser navigation to a particular domain. And I set a block on the entirety of Instagram.com as an experiment.
This message pops up when I visit Instagram in Chrome:
It looks like an error. Chrome seems to think it is an error.
Already, in just a week(ish) of use, I’m seeing a behavior shift stick. Way less Instagram usage. 🎉
I can’t visit Instagram unless I turn off the blocker or use a different browser. That other browser is Safari on my Macbook. Safari, like Chrome, blocks domains but through a device-level setting suite: Apple’s Screen Time restrictions (iOS of course)
I created a multi-Apple-device time restriction of 2 mins (daily) on Instagram, via either app or browser. I don’t keep the app on my phone, and don’t prefer to navigate Instagram using any mobile browser. The experience sucks.
In short: Safari now doesn’t offer a way around Chrome’s restrictions because doing so requires overriding Safari’s restrictions. So, I’m more and more used to not being on Instagram and less and less likely to consciously think about it.
The goal: erase the visit habit with a complete lack of interest habit.
Why this view today? What you’ll see is lots of hand-waving from people with all sorts of opinions about social media decisions. They’ll spend time and brainpower and verbal and written words on what they think social media companies should do.
But I think what they and we (you, reader, and me) can do is ignore these sites altogether. Block them in your browsers like me. Implement screen time restrictions. Delete apps.
Take a break for a while.