Social-media spoilers for fans who haven’t stayed in touch to watch the newest episodes of their favorite series and sports teams have apparently become a real problem — because now there’s an app to stop them.
A free app on the iOS App Store, Spoiler Shield, blocks spoilers on Facebook and Twitter. It has built-in “shields” for more than 30 TV shows, including most hit dramas; several reality competition shows including “The Amazing Race” and “Top Chef”; and “WWE Raw.” The games of all NFL and Major League Baseball teams are also included.
The co-founders of Spoiler Shield, Josh Solt and Matthew Loew, say the social-media backlash over the “Red Wedding” episode of “Game of Thrones” was “the tipping point” that inspired them to create the app.
The vast majority of social-media subscribers between 13 and 49 visit their social media while watching TV. Since many have time-shifted their programs, they’re often confronted with spoilers. Shield users see a shield over spoiler posts and can double-tap to unblock them.
The Shield announcement says, “Spoiler protection has become a cultural necessity.” So it won’t be limited to Apple devices; an Android version is on its way.
