How to Block Spoilers in Your Newsfeed
By Tracey Dowdy
It’s a first-world problem for sure, but there are few things more frustrating for fans of a long-running TV show or movie series than being hit with spoilers before you’ve been able to watch the show yourself.
With the series finale of Game of Thrones set to air this Sunday night, “the mood is dark, and the internet is full of spoilers” to poorly paraphrase Melisandre, may she rest in peace.
But there is hope, not just for avoiding GoT spoilers, but spoilers for any television or movie you’ve yet to see. Follow these steps to block spoilers on your phone, laptop, and tablet, though there’s not much we can do about that guy from the office who can’t keep his spoiler-spilling mouth shut – you know who you are dude.
One option is to download an app or extension that will screen and block spoiler content for you. For Chrome, choose an extension like Spoiler Prevention 2.0 that will prevent specific content from appearing on Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and even on news sites like CNN. iPhone and Android users can download Spoiler Block, and Android users have the additional option of using Spoilers Blocker. Just type in the keywords you want to be blocked, and the app will filter any related content.
Twitter: The trick here is to mute keywords and accounts tied to the content.
- Tap the notifications icon in the app. On a desktop, click Settings > privacy.
- On an Android and desktop, select Muted Words. On an iPhone, choose Muted > Muted words.
- Tap Add on iPhone and desktop, or the +icon on an Android. Select the words you know will lead to spoilers – e.g., Game of Thrones, Danaerys, Jon Snow, etc., and any accounts for the show or movie, e.g., HBO
- Select to mute these words from your Timeline, Notifications and anyone posting content to you. You can choose how long you want the content muted to mute content from 24 hours up to indefinitely.
- Tap Save
Facebook: You can temporarily snooze Friends or Groups on Facebook. Simply locate the person or Group you want to block. On your phone or computer, tap the three dots in the corner. Select Snooze (person’s name/group) for 30 days. You can always go back and un-snooze if you don’t need the full 30 days. If you’re really serious, you can temporarily deactivate your account. Go to Settings > Manage Account > Deactivate your Account. You’ll be asked to give a reason, and if this is just short-term, choose “This is temporary, I’ll be back.”
Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.
