For Subscribers

Want Last Night's Sports Game to Remain Spoiler Free? There's an App for That. Spoiler Shield lets users to block all social media updates pertaining to certain TV shows and sports teams.

By Matt Villano

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Social Media

Interaction and basic human needs

Do your friends have big mouths? Josh Solt and Matthew Loew, fans of HBO's Game of Thrones, wanted to do something about it.

In June 2013 the two were on a cross-country flight when the Red Wedding episode ("The Rains of Castamere") aired. Once they touched down in Los Angeles, their Facebook and Twitter feeds were inundated with spoilers about the show. They were incensed.

"We had been grumbling about spoilers for a while, but that was the final straw," Solt remembers. "Right there, in the middle of LAX, we decided to try to solve this problem by doing something about it once and for all."

That something was Spoiler Shield. They launched their free iOS app in September, enabling fans to block all social media messages pertaining to many popular shows and sports teams. Today the app is also available for Android, Kindle and Google Chrome, and offers "shields" for dozens of pro and college sports teams, as well as more than 50 popular TV shows, including Mad Men, The Walking Dead, The Bachelor and The Voice.

The app uses a proprietary algorithm that automatically parses social media missives for keywords and hashtags in a certain context that might make them spoilers, overlaid with an easy-to-navigate user interface. Once users set up the app and grant it access to their social feeds, a (virtual) gold shield covers spoiler posts; users can determine on a case-by-case basis whether they want to reveal the posts or not.

Mum's the word: Josh Solt (left) and Matthew Loew of Spoiler Shield.

Mum's the word: Josh Solt (left) and Matthew Loew of Spoiler Shield.
Photo (C) Marc Royce

To fund the idea, Solt and Loew--who, between them, have experience with finance, insurance and education startups--kicked in an undisclosed amount of their own money and raised six figures from angel investors. That pot has gotten the company from development through launch; now, Loew says, the firm is keen on working with investors and other angels on a Series A round.

Though the company hasn't notched any profit (the founders plan to pursue revenue in data mining and white labeling), Spoiler Shield certainly has industry people talking. Nick DeNinno, a veteran Hollywood TV producer and one of the founding partners of California's La Costa Film Festival, describes the app as "brilliant" and notes that the technology is especially useful for TV because it appeals to rabid fans and to those who tend to binge-watch multiple episodes.

"As an industry, we do a lot of intentional spoiling as part of our marketing strategy," DeNinno says. "If you're a fan, this is a great first line of defense."

Loew says the company is committed to increasing its roster of TV shows and at press time was working on adding a number of international soccer teams in time for the World Cup. Also on the agenda: improving the algorithm to incorporate artificial intelligence that will enable it to learn user preferences over time.

"Spoilers are a zero-sum game," Loew jokes. "If we want to solve this problem, we have to be perfect."

More Social Media Brilliance

Never miss a "signature required" delivery with DoorBot, a Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell with webcam that lets you see and talk to visitors outside your front door through a smartphone app--even if you're not home.


The Waygo app scans Chineseor Japanese text and translates it to English directly onto a mobile device's screen, no internet connection needed.


Deemed "the next Snapchat" at SXSW, the Samba app records a receiver's reaction to your video message and automatically sends it back to you.


The "Netflix for Legos," Pley lets parents choose from hundreds of Lego playsets to rent indefinitely, shipped free both ways.


These may be the most coveted seats in NYC: Members of Posh Stow and Go will get access to private, clean, soundproof loos; storage for the day's shopping finds (and long-term lockers for locals); and secure charging stations for electronics.


Tile: Are you a big loser? Attach this Bluetooth-enabled, 1.5-inch square device to valuable items, and an app will alert you when you get within a 50- to 150-foot range of them.


The Wevorce technology platform aims to help couples divorce amicably, with online and in-person mediation sessions.


Designed by Harvard scientists, Ovuline's Ovia Fertility tracker uses big data and machine learning to help women accurately predict ovulation and get pregnant up to three times faster.


The Airpnp app--started in New Orleans with the concept of helping Mardi Gras revelers find relief--gives homeowners and businesses the opportunity to rent out their lavatories to cross-legged people in the immediate area.


100 Brilliant Companies

Modern Food and Drink
Fashion
Music
Social Media
Marketing
Health and Fitness
Marijuana
Travel and Transportation
Data and Analytics
Hiring

Matt Villano is a freelance writer and editor in Healdsburg, Calif. He is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur, and has covered startups and entrepreneurship for The New York Times, TIME and CIO. He also covers a variety of other topics, including travel, parenting, education and -- seriously -- gambling. He can be found on his personal website, Whalehead.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Money & Finance

How Much Money Do You Need to Retire Comfortably in Your State? Here's the Breakdown.

Regardless of where you spend your golden years, it pays to be realistic about the cost of living.

Money & Finance

Turn Simple Ideas Into Never-Ending Paychecks With This Low-Effort Passive Income Strategy

A micro-hustle lets you build once, sell forever and earn money while you sleep.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Coinbase CEO Says Company Won't Pay Hackers' Ransom

In a company blog post, Coinbase outlined how it planned to respond to a recent massive breach.

Business News

'It Was Unfair': Warren Buffett Reveals the Real Reason He Stepped Down as CEO

Buffett said he noticed differences between himself and his successor, Greg Abel, 62.