Users Strip Ads From Smart Devices With AI
A growing movement of users is using AI tools and open-source projects to remove ads, trackers and addictive features from TVs, robot vacuums and social apps.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Home Cleaning
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Users are using AI coding tools and open-source projects such as CleanYourTV, DumbTV and Valetudo to disable pre-installed apps, cut off cloud connections and hide algorithmic feeds on smart devices and social media. Platform companies are partially accommodating these demands by adding parental controls for YouTube Shorts.
Why it matters
Platforms added ads, recommendations and user-tracking features for convenience and profit, and users are now selectively removing them. A Gartner survey found that 52% of U.S. adults actively avoid ads using blockers or VPNs, indicating broad demand for control.
A Gartner survey found 52% of U.S. adults actively avoid ads using blockers or VPNs. In a separate Australian survey of 1,052 adults, 48% said they would turn off recommendation algorithms, though the source does not measure how many actually do.
The players
Gartner
Gartner is a global research and advisory firm known for technology market surveys and forecasts.
YouTube
YouTube is Google's video-sharing platform, which has introduced parental controls for its Shorts feed.
The details
Developer Gatin T released CleanYourTV, which uses AI to disable pre-installed Android and Google TV apps and replace the home screen. Other tools include DumbTV, which reduces TV ads and viewing-history tracking, and Minulo, SocialLite and the South Korean app Close, which hide or remove Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and algorithmic feeds while keeping messaging.
Timeline
November 2, 2026: Tech industry reporting highlights the growing movement toward AI-assisted feature removal.
Culture Shift
The movement extends the browser ad-blocking habit that Gartner's survey shows 52% of U.S. adults already practice into the hardware and feeds of everyday devices. It reflects a broader pushback against platforms that monetize attention and data.
Readers can hide Reels and recommended feeds in apps like Minulo or SocialLite while keeping messages and search. Smart TV owners can disable preinstalled apps to reduce ads and tracking, though the source does not describe a single standard procedure for every device.
The takeaway
Many default features on connected devices can be selectively turned off, and reviewing app settings can reduce ads and tracking. Because the tools are open-source and device-specific, check compatibility before attempting changes.
Further reading
For related practical guides, see Home Cleaning.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 조선일보.
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Would you use AI tools to remove ads and addictive features from your devices?
