🚀 Project Ideas
Generating project ideas…
Summary
- Replaces algorithmic feeds on major social platforms with a strict reverse‑chronological view and disables infinite scroll.
- Gives users direct control over what they see, reducing addictive design and exposure to unwanted content.
Details
| Key |
Value |
| Target Audience |
Everyday social media users frustrated by addictive recommendations (e.g., HN commenters Nursie, forestry, jkubicek) |
| Core Feature |
Browser extension that rewrites the feed UI to show posts in chronological order, swaps endless feed for pagination, and adds keyword/topic filters |
| Tech Stack |
Manifest V3 extension (JavaScript/TypeScript), optional WebExtension APIs for filter lists; UI built with React or plain JS |
| Difficulty |
Medium (site‑specific DOM changes, keeping up with platform updates) |
| Monetization |
Hobby |
Notes
- Nursie: “Switching off the ‘shoving this all in your face’ part of social media seems to me to be a win.”
- forestry: “If I have problems with body image, don’t show me topless photos.”
- Provides a concrete tool for evaluating the impact of algorithmic opt‑out legislation; open‑source nature invites community maintenance and discussion.
Summary
- Lets users import their social‑media activity data and run a transparent, customizable ranking algorithm locally to generate a personal feed.
- Offers a privacy‑first alternative to opaque recommendation engines, letting users define their own relevance criteria.
Details
| Key |
Value |
| Target Audience |
Privacy‑conscious users, developers, and researchers who want to experiment with or control their feed algorithms (e.g., tensor, drdaeman, Nursie) |
| Core Feature |
Desktop/web app that accepts exported JSON/CSV data from platforms, applies user‑defined weighting rules (recency, interest tags, blocklists), and displays the resulting feed in a clean UI |
| Tech Stack |
Electron or Tauri desktop shell, React frontend, Python/JS ranking engine, data stored in IndexedDB or SQLite |
| Difficulty |
Medium‑High (handling diverse data exports, ensuring correct ranking, UI polish) |
| Monetization |
Hobby |
Notes
- drdaeman: “endless scrolling is pagination with a page size of one… issue is elsewhere.”
- Nursie: “They’ll be given an option, not be forced.”
- Enables users to experiment with what makes an algorithm harmful, providing concrete data for policy debates and academic studies of feed effects.
Summary
- Provides a plug‑and‑on widget that social platforms can embed to satisfy “algorithmic opt‑out” legal requirements, offering a simple toggle between algorithmic and chronological/custom feeds.
- Includes an admin dashboard for logging opt‑out events and generating compliance reports for regulators.
Details
| Key |
Value |
| Target Audience |
Social media companies operating in Australia (and similar jurisdictions) needing to comply with “my feed, my way” legislation, and regulators requiring auditability |
| Core Feature |
Hosted SDK/JavaScript snippet that adds a settings button to the platform’s UI, persists user preference, and switches the feed source between algorithmic ranking and a reverse‑chronological or user‑defined feed |
| Tech Stack |
Node.js/Express backend, PostgreSQL for storing preferences, frontend widget in vanilla JS or Svelte, optional GraphQL API |
| Difficulty |
Medium (integrating with varied platforms, ensuring durability) |
| Monetization |
Revenue‑ready: SaaS pricing per MAU (monthly active users) or flat fee per platform |
Notes
- phsau references the “my feed, my way” pop‑up; Nursie notes users would be asked what they want their default feed to be.
- Addresses the core frustration expressed by HN commenters about opaque algorithms while giving platforms a clear path to compliance; could spark debate on balancing regulation and innovation.
