GitHub - David-OConnor/hn_mute: Mute users on Hacker News

2 min read Original article ↗

HN Mute

A minimal Chrome and Firefox extension that lets you mute users on Hacker News.

Firefox Chrome

Can mute users. Adds a few UI elements to HN to allow muting users by clicking a link next to comments and submissions, and managing your list of muted users. If enough people end up using this, I will integrate a database which can be used to automatically users who others with simular tastes as you muted.

Example of how to mute users

Muted users, whether local or using (not-yet-implemented) network effects is not intended to be an objective value judgment, judge of character, or anything universal; it's to tailor results to the user, and is I believe, unfortunately, a useful feature at this time. You may wish, for example, to only engage in contents with others who are human, and intellectually curious.

Example of managing your muted user list

Examples of why you may wish to mute a user:

  • Bots / AI users / promoting low-quality material
  • Astroturfing
  • Rudeness / anti-social behavior.
  • Intellectual (or other) dishonesty
  • Incompatible communication styles

Mute lists are stored locally, in your browser's extension's sync storage (chrome.storage.sync / browser.storage.sync). Your browser will sync this across all devices in which you're signed in, and with other opened tabs. I may eventually host this in a remote database, in order to enable the network effects described above.

Mildly inspired by required measures in Fall; or, Dodge in Hell.

Build

The extension is written in TypeScript (src/content.ts) and compiled to the content.js.

npm install
npm run build  # or: npm run watch

Install

First run the build above, then:

Chrome / Edge / Brave

  1. Open chrome://extensions
  2. Enable Developer mode (top right)
  3. Click Load unpacked and select this folder

Firefox

Temporary (for testing; removed on browser restart):

  • Open about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox
  • Click Load Temporary Add-on... and select manifest.json from this project.

Permanent: zip the folder contents and submit to addons.mozilla.org for signing (self-distribution is fine), or use Firefox Developer Edition / ESR with xpinstall.signatures.required = false in about:config.

Before publishing to AMO, change the placeholder add-on ID (browser_specific_settings.gecko.id) in manifest.json to something you own.