Spoiler Shield is the first line of defense against spoilers

Chances are good that if you've followed a big hit show -- say Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, or Scandal -- at some point the internet has ruined a big plot twist. You've got the episode DVR'd at home, waiting for you while you live your life. Then, while checking your Twitter or Facebook timelines, some jerk you follow suddenly spills the beans:

All you can do is scream "NO!" to the heavens. You wouldn't want to seem overly sensitive for deleting someone just for spoilers. Up until now your only options were to avoid social media or deal with the consequences, but now there's a better way. Spoiler Shield is a free iOS app that allows you to scan your Facebook and Twitter feeds without worrying about unintentionally finding out who killed who this week.

When you're viewing your feeds with the app, any post that matches your specified "shields" appears blocked, with the option to reveal the devious text if you'd like. You can see what that blocking looks like in this screenshot. Your shields block spoiling tweets regardless of when they appear during the week, so it's an easy and efficient way to keep yourself in the dark.

Spoiler Shield doesn't just work for TV nerds; assorted shields are available blocking spoilers about various sports leagues and celebrities. Best of all, it allows you to select which specific teams to have shielded so you can keep up with scores without ruining the game you want to watch. While the app has an incredibly broad list of shows that can be shielded, it doesn't allow you to input custom options, so you're out of luck on more obscure programs.

Even if you don't use the app to block potential spoilers, it's worth considering as an alternative to the native Twitter or Facebook apps. It's nice to be able to post, like, comment, retweet, and favorite without having to switch in and out of apps. The interface is fast and clean, and short of private messaging capabilities Spoiler Shield can basically do everything those other apps do.

With weeks left in season 4 of Game of Thrones and summer series just around the corner, it's wise to safeguard your friendships from spoiler arguments. Convincing people online not to be jerks is hard. Take the option out of their hands with Spoiler Shield.