March 2, 2026
Blurred lines, bold opinions
Show HN: uBlock filter list to blur all Instagram Reels
Kill the Reels: A browser trick tries to make Instagram friend‑only again—commenters split
TLDR: A new uBlock Origin filter list blurs Instagram Reels, posts from non‑followers, and all videos to cut out algorithmic filler. Commenters are split: some cheer the DIY fix or ask Instagram for a real toggle, while others say just block or quit the app—fueled by nostalgia for friend‑only feeds.
A rebel “Nuke Insta Slop” filter list just dropped on Hacker News, promising to blur away Instagram’s Reels tab, posts from people you don’t follow, and yes—all videos. It’s a uBlock Origin hack (a browser add‑on that can hide parts of web pages) aimed at turning Instagram back into a friends‑only photo album. The twist? The creator admits it’ll also nuke your friends’ videos and doesn’t fix the layout—so you end up scrolling past… fog.
Cue the comment section melee. One camp cheers the idea and begs Instagram for an official “turn off the junk” switch. Another camp goes full chaos mode: why not just block the whole site and be done? One user flexed with a one‑line “nuke it from orbit” filter as a punchline. Meanwhile, skeptics asked the obvious: if your feed is just blur, why not simply close the app? The nostalgia squad chimed in too, groaning “I feel old” while praising the goal of making Instagram feel like early‑days Facebook—only friends, no algorithm circus.
It’s part protest, part coping mechanism, part comedy. Blur it, block it, or beg for a toggle—either way, the crowd agrees on one thing: the algorithm’s “slop” is the villain, and users are done being force‑fed.
Key Points
- •A uBlock Origin filter list called “Nuke Insta Slop” targets Instagram’s web interface.
- •It hides the Reels tab, blurs posts from non-followed accounts, and blurs all videos.
- •The rules use uBlock Origin cosmetic filters with selectors targeting /reels/, posts with a Follow button, and posts with a video player.
- •The author intentionally doesn’t fix layout and instead blurs content to highlight algorithmic filler.
- •A warning notes all videos are removed, including friends’ videos, and an installation guide is referenced.