The internet often leads people to form opinions based on comments and reactions before engaging deeply with the original content, fostering bias and superficial discussions. A browser extension that temporarily hides comment sections and social reactions (likes, shares) until the user has sufficiently engaged with the primary content could encourage more thoughtful information consumption.

How It Works

The extension would detect when a page contains both primary content (articles, videos) and secondary reactions (comments, ratings), initially hiding the latter. Comments would be revealed only after certain conditions:

• Time-based: After a set duration of active reading
• Scroll-based: When the user reaches the end of the main content
• Manual override: Users could choose to reveal comments immediately

Additionally, it could prompt users to reflect briefly before displaying comments. The settings would be customizable, allowing users to adjust thresholds and choose which reaction elements to block.

Potential Benefits

This approach could help:

• Readers form independent opinions before being swayed by others
• Content creators by ensuring their work is evaluated on its own merits
• Society by fostering more informed and less reactive discussions

Platforms might benefit from increased engagement depth, while advertisers could gain from more focused attention on primary content.

Development Approach

A simple initial version could focus on:

• Hiding common comment structures
• Implementing a basic time-based reveal system
• Allowing configurable delay settings

Later improvements might include scroll-based detection, site-specific rules for varied layouts, and reading comprehension prompts. Testing key assumptions—like whether users actually want delayed comments and if this improves information retention—would be crucial early on.

While similar tools exist for distraction-free browsing, this concept distinguishes itself by focusing specifically on the timing of comment visibility to encourage independent thinking rather than just removing distractions entirely.