Twitter Info Hider

A Chrome extension that hides bias by focusing on what is being said, rather than who is saying it

Details here - https://x.com/shri_shobhit/status/1918660119916839314

Features

• Hides user names and usernames
• Conceals profile pictures
• Masks engagement metrics (likes, retweets, replies)
• Hides view counts
• Blurs social context information
• All hidden information is revealed on hover
• Toggle functionality to enable/disable the feature
• Option to temporarily reveal all information

Installation

1. Clone this repository or download the ZIP file
2. Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions/
3. Enable "Developer mode" in the top right
4. Click "Load unpacked" and select the extension directory

Usage

Once installed, the extension will automatically start hiding information on Twitter. You can:

• Click the extension icon to toggle the feature on/off
• Use the "Reveal All" option to temporarily show all information
• Hover over any hidden element to reveal it

What Gets Hidden

• User names and usernames
• Profile pictures
• Like counts
• Retweet counts
• Reply counts
• View counts
• Social context information
• User avatars in various contexts

Privacy Benefits

This extension helps you:

• Focus on content rather than engagement metrics
• Reduce unconscious bias from profiles
• Make more objective decisions about content
• Maintain privacy while browsing Twitter

Screenshots

Coming soon: Before and after screenshots demonstrating the extension's effect

Technical Details

The extension works by:

• Injecting custom CSS to blur sensitive information
• Using CSS transitions for smooth reveal effects
• Targeting Twitter's data-testid attributes for reliable element selection
• Persisting user preferences using Chrome's storage API

Development

Prerequisites

• Chrome browser
• Basic knowledge of JavaScript and CSS
• Chrome extension development experience (helpful but not required)

Building from Source

1. Clone the repository
2. Make your changes
3. Test locally by loading the extension in Chrome
4. Submit a pull request

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Code Style

• Follow the existing code style
• Add comments for complex logic
• Keep the code DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself)

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

• If elements aren't being hidden, try refreshing the page
• If the extension isn't working, ensure it's enabled in Chrome
• Clear your browser cache if you notice any styling issues

Roadmap

Considered Approaches

1. Customizable Blur Intensity (Selected)

   • Simple CSS variable-based approach
   • User can adjust blur amount (0-20px)
   • Minimal code changes required
   • Easy to implement and maintain

2. Keyboard Shortcuts (Selected)

   • Quick toggle with Alt+H
   • Reveal all with Alt+R
   • Simple event listener implementation
   • No UI changes needed

3. Whitelist/Blacklist System

   • Complex state management
   • Requires UI for configuration
   • Higher maintenance overhead
   • More prone to bugs

4. Multiple Social Platforms

   • Requires platform-specific selectors
   • Complex maintenance
   • Higher chance of breaking changes
   • Resource intensive

5. Custom Themes

   • Complex CSS management
   • Requires UI for theme selection
   • Higher maintenance burden
   • Potential performance impact

Implementation Priority

1. Blur Intensity Control

   :root {
     --blur-amount: 12px;
   }

   • Add simple range input in popup
   • Store preference in chrome.storage
   • Update CSS variable on change
   • Default to current 12px if not set

2. Keyboard Shortcuts

   document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
     if (e.altKey && e.key === 'h') {
       // Toggle hide
     }
     if (e.altKey && e.key === 'r') {
       // Reveal all
     }
   });

   • Simple event listeners
   • No UI changes required
   • Easy to test and maintain
   • Clear user feedback

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to all contributors who have helped improve this extension
• Inspired by the need for more objective content consumption on social media