I Add 3-25 Seconds of Latency to Every Page I Visit (2020)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Addiction, Agency, and Responsibility

  • Strong debate over whether addiction should be treated primarily as a disease vs. a matter of personal responsibility.
  • One side stresses that addiction, like depression, often involves neurodevelopmental or psychological disorders; relying only on willpower is seen as unethical and ineffective. They emphasize therapy, medication, support systems, and societal responsibility.
  • Others argue that people with diseases still have agency and must take active steps (e.g., as with diet changes, chemo, avoiding gluten). They worry that framing addiction as “not my problem to solve” fuels passivity and issues like obesity.
  • Several note that while external help is crucial, only the person affected can ultimately initiate change.

Latency and “Dilution” as Digital Self-Control Tools

  • Many find added latency or friction psychologically powerful: it makes impulsive visits less rewarding, similar to “diluting” the internet.
  • Comparisons are made to ancient practices of diluting wine or to living where basic tasks require walking, introducing beneficial effort.
  • Some prefer using underpowered hardware or clunky official apps as a natural latency source that reduces usage.

Phone and App-Level Friction Techniques

  • Popular tactics:
    • Grayscale display + minimalist launchers to make phones visually dull and less compelling.
    • App-level delays like “one sec” that force a pause and track avoided usage.
    • Hiding recommendations and history on YouTube to intentionally worsen the algorithm and reduce rabbit holes.
    • Stripping home screens to essentials and limiting notifications to calls/SMS.
  • Reported outcomes include large drops in screen time and a more “sterile,” less tempting device.

Browser/Network-Level Approaches

  • Suggestions include: disabling prefetch and URL bar suggestions; heavy adblocking; default JS off; sandboxing browsers; console-only Sundays; offline article printing.
  • Some want router- or proxy-level latency controls per device/domain, but note it would require custom setups; feasibility is unclear.
  • One commenter warns that imposed family-level throttling may provoke frustration unless paired with attractive offline activities.

Social Platforms, Engagement, and Ethics

  • Multiple comments link personal overuse to intentional engagement optimization by tech companies, likening “addictive features” to digital drugs.
  • Reddit and YouTube are cited:
    • Clunky official apps and UI changes have, for some, incidentally broken their usage habits.
    • Others deliberately use “old” interfaces or limit features.
  • Some express discomfort with platforms monetizing user-generated content and behavioral data, especially for AI training.

Alternative Communities and Offline Reading

  • Several express nostalgia for old-style, high-effort forums, sometimes paid, as a healthier alternative to modern feeds.
  • Offline reading (printed articles, TTS-to-podcast, audiobooks) reportedly shifts attention away from the browser toward books and long-form content, perceived as higher quality.