How to get rid of quizzes (and other crap) from your Facebook news feed

21:53 May 24, 2009 PDT

Quizzes and applications in your Facebook feed? No thanks.

Most users have come to accept the new Twitter-style Facebook home page - but one thing continues to infuriate: all the annoying quiz and application updates in your news feed. But all is not lost if you are sick of learning "what Simpsons character" your friends are - here's a quick and easy way to make those annoying quizzes disappear from your news feed.

What follows is a simple and trustworthy script installation that takes only a minute or two to complete.

You need to be viewing Facebook using either the Firefox or Chrome browsers. If you're not already using one of these, it's worth giving them a try.

Step 1) Install the Greasemonkey add-on for Firefox, or the GreaseMetal add-on for Chrome.

Step 2) Install the Facebook Purity script (click to install).

And that's it. Facebook Purity blocks all messages from any applications created by external developers, and tells you exactly how many it has blocked. Once it's running, you can turn the blocked messages on and off in your news feed with a single click. Simple, beautiful, sweet relief.

Thanks to Kuneri Bloggy.

Loz Blain

Tags

» Facebook

User Comments (3)

1.25 million people still dont like the new layout,

Dory Goldberger

- May 25, 2009 @ 11:05 pm PDT

(Reply to Dory) I doubt you have asked every single person on Facebook if they like or dislike the new layout so such a precise number has very little chance of being right. Such rash statistics could only have come from an average person in a primitive society such as capitalist or communist, I hope this helps you feel less centered out.

As stated in the terms of use:

"Use of the Communications Services is provided on condition that You do not do any of the following:

transmit any information or material which is knowingly incorrect, misleading or deceptive;"

I don't have any citable counter-evidence on hand but my own opinion says the estimate is way off. If you want to somewhat accurately figure this out, simply question as many people as you can on Facebook from as many random people as possible then cite your newly found evidence. If you manage to ask them all, then you will have 100% accurate statistics assuming no one has joined or changed opinions since you started surveying.

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Back on topic, this is a great option to have although Facebook should provide its own off and on switches so people don't have to be bugged with an external application.

I personally enjoy watching all current news feeds as it is a display of culture whether you see it that way or not.

Dailen McDonald

- May 27, 2009 @ 12:05 pm PDT

I've been using this add-on for ages and am still happy with it!

kate seamer

- June 2, 2009 @ 03:06 am PDT