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Browser extension that globally blocks vertical video?

23 points by kradeelav ↗ HN
I dislike nearly everything about the recent vertical video format/medium that's taken over the internet since ~2018 or so. Is there an extension that globally blocks it across twitter/tumblr/youtube/anywhere embedded? Feels like it'd be pretty trivial to code if not, and I know there's a few other old web farts who would gladly use such an extension.

16 comments

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runjake
I'm probably much older than you and I don't mind, and in fact, I regularly watch vertical videos. They don't bother me.

But here is some sloppy code you could create a basic browser extension and shove in content.js:

  function hideVerticalVideos() {
    const videos = document.querySelectorAll('video');
    videos.forEach(video => {
      if (video.videoHeight > video.videoWidth) {
        video.style.display = 'none';
      }
    });
  }

  // Run hideVerticalVideos() when the page loads
  window.addEventListener('load', hideVerticalVideos);

  // Run when the DOM updates
  const observer = new MutationObserver(hideVerticalVideos);
  observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });
ivanjermakov
It would be very hard to get rid of portrait videos that were uploaded as landscape but padded with black bars.
rerdavies
But I would instantly install a browser extension that makes youtube shorts go away. I avoid them studiously because I find that whenever I click them, I come to 45 minutes later, deep inside a rabbit hole of everything that makes the internet horrible. Making them go away altogether would significanly improve my mental health.
justsomehnguy 

  https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KaSmgzaKgYM
and

  https://www.youtube.com/v/KaSmgzaKgYM
are the same, so at least you can use some redirection extensions to always show you the full interface.

Or use something like 'Simple Blocker' (FF) which would just block everything which includes `youtube.com/shorts/` in the URL.

ivanjermakov
Look up uBlock filters to remove shorts.

I also recommend blocking "feed" page, side suggestions and comment section.

ryandetzel
I wish everything was so great in my life that this could be a concern.
musicale
I dislike vertical video also. Last I checked, phones can rotate 90 degrees to play landscape video.

On a related note, is there a browser that can completely block auto-playing video with a setting that actually works?

I find it depressing that web developers seem willing to do anything to ignore user preferences, especially when intrusive advertising is involved.

chatmasta
I don’t want to rotate my phone just to view your video.
musicale
Funny, I have the same thought about vertical video and rotating my laptop and desktop display.

Phones are commonly used in horizontal mode for games, photos, and video streaming.

chatmasta
If I’m watching a two hour video, I’ll flip my phone. But if I’m cycling between reading articles and other activities for which I prefer vertical mode, then I’d rather keep it in that orientation than switch it just to watch a video.
cpach
I’m not wild about vertical videos either. But are you sure a technical solution is the best solution for this issue?
gentile
On youtube you can block the section with shorts in them with ublock (rclick > block element), this was good enough for my use. I don't know about other sites.
musicale
I need a browser extension to block video autoplay because no browser setting seems to work consistently.

Safari in particular has never worked, but I've had bad luck with Chrome and Firefox as well.

danjl
Someone should use generative AI to convert portrait video into landscape by extending the sides (rather than cropping).