YouTube users get option to set their Shorts time limit to zero minutes

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

YouTube is adding a mobile setting that lets users cap their Shorts viewing time at zero minutes, framed as a way to curb endless scrolling and help with “time management.” Many users welcome any friction on short-form content they find highly addictive, but criticize the feature as a superficial fix that still surfaces Shorts prominently and is easy to bypass. The conversation broadens into frustration with engagement-maximizing design, the lack of a true “off” switch (even for paying subscribers and parents), and a turn toward browser extensions, ad blockers, and third‑party apps to reclaim control over what appears on YouTube.

What the new Shorts limit actually does

  • Several commenters say the headline is misleading: setting Shorts to 0 minutes does not universally “turn off Shorts.”
  • Reported behavior:
    • After time is up, swiping to more Shorts triggers a “limit reached” dialog, but users can easily override it.
    • On some devices, Shorts still appear on the homepage, just not scrollable; others report they vanished from the feed after app restart.
    • You can still see individual Shorts via links or the Shorts tab.
  • Not yet rolled out everywhere; some only see a 15‑minute minimum. Many note it’s mobile‑app only, not on desktop.

Addiction, self‑regulation, and responsibility

  • Many see this as a token “self‑control” tool that leaves the underlying addictive design intact.
  • Strong concern about doomscrolling, loss of focus, and “brainrot,” especially with swipe-based UX on phones.
  • Some compare it to regulating addictive substances and argue adults need structural protections, not just reminders.
  • Parents describe Shorts as harmful and “zombifying” for kids, and find current controls inadequate and easy to bypass.

User experience and product direction

  • Widespread dislike of Shorts’ UI:
    • Missing channel names in previews.
    • Separate player and classification from normal videos.
    • Carousels in subscriptions that hide useful info.
  • Broader frustration that YouTube has:
    • Degraded search and subscriptions views.
    • Pushed Shorts, Mixes, Playables, text posts, and autoplay that users can’t reliably disable.
  • Some argue this reflects YouTube’s engagement-driven incentives, even for Premium users.

Workarounds and tools

  • Many rely on browser extensions and alternative clients to tame YouTube:
    • uBlock Origin filters, custom CSS, and dedicated “hide Shorts” extensions.
    • Extensions to remove recommendations, comments, home feed, or shorts specifically.
    • SmartTube, FreeTube, NewPipe, Invidious, and similar apps/instances to avoid official clients and ads.
  • On mobile/TV native apps, options are more limited; some resort to network-level tools, MDM profiles, or fully removing the YouTube app.

Overall sentiment

  • Users welcome any control but largely view the 0‑minute limit as inadequate and easily circumvented.
  • There is strong demand for a simple, reliable “off switch” for Shorts and other engagement features.