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Show HN: Scream to Unlock – Blocks social media until you scream “I'm a loser”

237 points madinmo | 6 comments | 25 Jun 25 10:49 UTC | HN request time: 1.281s | source | bottom

Hi all,

I kept wasting time on social media, even though I’d promised myself I’d stay focused. Regular site blockers didn’t help.

I needed something that felt annoying enough to break the habit. That’s how the idea came up: make the blocker ask me to say something embarrassing out loud before it lets me back in. If I actually have to yell “I’m a loser” into my mic. Even better - the louder I screamed, the more time I’d get.

So I put together Scream to Unlock. It’s silly, but so far it’s done its job. My social feeds stay locked unless I really want them.

Extension link - https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/scream-to-unlock-ye...

Its open source and transparent - https://github.com/Pankajtanwarbanna/scream-to-unlock. No data collection or tracking, Audio processing happens locally in your browser. No recordings saved or transmitted.

Show context
mikesabat ◴[25 Jun 25 13:32 UTC] No.44377140[source]▶
If you want to make a kids app... Forcing the child to do a number of math problems to continue using the tablet would be an amazing app that I would definitely pay for.

My daughter is a second grader. If every 5 minutes of tablet use 'cost' her 5 correct arithmetic answers she would be working at space x right now.

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quantadev ◴[25 Jun 25 14:12 UTC] No.44377574[source]▶
It certainly seems like someone would've invented a Kid Friendly phone by now that's completely safe, and doesn't allow access to the "real" internet at all, but only an ability to send texts without images, make voice calls, etc. Now that we have AI it would be easier, an you could potentially give "Google" access that's censored into a "child friendly" output by the AI. You could have a texting app where friends can talk, but only to kids in their own school for example, or at least limited by geographical area, to foster friendships IRL, rather than some Chinese Bot being able to trick your kid into eating Tide Pods or whatever their latest Attack on America happens to be.

But TBH making kids continually solve math problems seems a bit mean to me. Like making a kid do pushups for food if they're overweight. Too militaristic and authoritarian for my liking, but I can respect your creativity for creating that. It's good to try new ideas.

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1. dylan604 ◴[25 Jun 25 17:27 UTC] No.44379787[source]▶
I'd rather solve math problems than CAPTCHAs any day of the week.
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2. quantadev ◴[25 Jun 25 18:07 UTC] No.44380186[source]▶
But would you make your kid do CAPTCHAs every time they need to earn some privilege? We're talking about what's appropriate for kids, not what's easy or hard for adults or kids. I mean why not make them earn dessert by doing push-ups? Because it's mean, that's why.
replies(1): >>44381143 #
3. dylan604 ◴[25 Jun 25 19:40 UTC] No.44381143[source]▶
If it was up to me, I'd make them do 5 push ups and 5 crunches instead. Or putting the devices down altogether. It's not mean to make your kids do physical activity. In fact, if you are not making them do physical activity, I'd say you are negligent as a parent. I guarantee you that if you had your kids start doing pushups and crunches they would get to the point of it being a nothing burger to do it. It will be a bunch of moaning and complaining at the start, but that goes away. It's just as much of a conditioning as the kid crying and being rewarded with a device.
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4. quantadev ◴[25 Jun 25 21:59 UTC] No.44382181{3}[source]▶
If you wanna have successful kids just make 'em solve a coding challenge on a white board for food and/or medical and dental care, whereby noncompliance or failure earns them a night out in the tent in the back yard, especially in winter. You wanna be a disciplinarian, then let's get it right, amirite?
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5. dylan604 ◴[26 Jun 25 02:19 UTC] No.44383665{4}[source]▶
no, now you're just being obstinate because you think it's cool on the internet or something. if you think doing 5 push ups and 5 crunches is punishment, then we're just on different planets. fine, if you're so against physical exercise. then make the ankle biters clean their room, take out the trash, walk the dog (oops physical exercise again), or any of a number of other things. unless you're one of those parents who thinks chores are too taxing for their sweetwiddleones
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6. quantadev ◴[26 Jun 25 03:09 UTC] No.44383881{5}[source]▶
I think you took my post a bit too seriously. I have no kids, but I just know the topic of how to discipline children is hotly debated among the "experts" (if there are any).