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Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

github.com

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Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#141

Post by version_five »

The value of basically all online news articles to me right now is $0. So I'm very comfortable paying that for them. Being able to find a link to an article I might be interested in offers some value (and I would pay more for better screening, see below). But being able to browse the actual content is basically worthless, sorry.

In fact, I generally don't even go to a site if there is a modal popup that makes me accept cookies (occasionally I have if I'm curious enough) and I have literally never signed up, even if free, to get access to an article.

Bypassing paywalls lets me pay what articles are worth to me to continue to browse them.

I do pay for an article aggregation service (academic articles), and I do pay for substack newsletters (although this is in part to support work I think is good even if I wouldn't pay for every article).

Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#143

Post by picardythird »

theturtletalks wrote: post #22
DevKoala wrote: post #4

This is cool, but how is it different from piracy?

I'm not sure it crosses the line. Most of these websites have the text in the HTML, but hidden to the user. This is so Google can index and send traffic based on search. If the HTML is sent to the client, accessing it is not piracy.

Just because there’s a technical workaround doesn’t make it not stealing. If I neglect to lock my car and my stuff gets stolen, it’s still stealing. I might have been able to prevent it had I locked the car, but it’s still stealing.

Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#144

Post by picardythird »

ryan_j_naughton wrote: post #136
misterbwong wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not quite understanding the logic here. Just because another customer (google) was given access, does that mean everyone should have it? Would you rather publishers give google private direct feeds to index?

> Just because another customer (google) was given access, does that mean everyone should have it? They didn't provide access to just another customer or Google -- they send the article text to EVERYONE in the HTML response. They are thus making that text publicly available. If they want to make content only available to certain individuals, that is literally what paywalls and authentication/authorization are for. In…

This is the “but she was wearing a low cut top” argument.

Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#145

Post by Barrin92 »

Wolfenstein98k wrote: post #126

I know I'll get downvoted for this but I feel like this stuff is pretty close to theft. I can understand justifying ad-blocking, arguing that you don't want to see it. So even though you're depriving them of revenue while consuming the product funded by it, there's at least an argument that you're only controlling what you see. But using tricks to get access to something not available to you without paying? This seem…

>but I feel like this stuff is pretty close to theft

It is theft, plain and simple. Someone makes something, owns the property, they have the right to determine under what conditions they sell it. I always find it hilarious how people defend piracy with arguments about making products more user friendly/cheaper and so on.

If you don't like something, don't buy it. If you're bypassing payment without the owners permission, you're stealing.

Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#146

Post by theturtletalks »

picardythird wrote: post #143
theturtletalks wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure it crosses the line. Most of these websites have the text in the HTML, but hidden to the user. This is so Google can index and send traffic based on search. If the HTML is sent to the client, accessing it is not piracy.

Just because there’s a technical workaround doesn’t make it not stealing. If I neglect to lock my car and my stuff gets stolen, it’s still stealing. I might have been able to prevent it had I locked the car, but it’s still stealing.

By this definition, ad-blocking is stealing. Is using a technical workaround to hid HTML ok but using it reveal hidden HTML is not?

Your car example is not a good analogy. Once you notice people stealing, you would make sure the door is locked. Just like these websites can restrict the content server-side.

Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#147

Post by spondyl »

shmde wrote: post #133

I used to pirate a lot of video games when I was young. Steam ( later epic ) entered India and started regional pricing and now I have pretty big collection on steam and epic ( free games ) Same thing with Movies and music. I made a huge offline collection worth 2-3TBs before I just had to throw it all away because everything was available on spotify, Netflix, Disney+Hotstar, Amazon Prime. Their services are top-notc…

> “One thing that we have learned is that piracy is not a pricing issue. It’s a service issue,” explained Newell during his time on stage at the Washington Technology Industry Association's (WTIA) Tech NW conference. “The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting antipiracy technology to work. It’s by giving those people a service that’s better than what they’re receiving from the pirates.”

https://www.gamesradar.com/au/gabe-newell-piracy-issue-servi...

I subscribed to the New York Times once and it's nearly impossible to cancel. You have to call up a phone line and from memory, it takes ages. Given that, I would never subscribe again, even though I've considered it.

As such, I "pirate" New York Times articles because the service sucked, not because the price was an issue.

Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#148

Post by picardythird »

DeWilde wrote: post #63
unicornporn wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this Hacker News?

The hackers grew up and now they are what they once hated. Seems to happen to every generation.

Or they matured. Should writers, musicians, and journalists be slaves?

Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#149

Post by ckrailo »

Wolfenstein98k wrote: post #126

I know I'll get downvoted for this but I feel like this stuff is pretty close to theft. I can understand justifying ad-blocking, arguing that you don't want to see it. So even though you're depriving them of revenue while consuming the product funded by it, there's at least an argument that you're only controlling what you see. But using tricks to get access to something not available to you without paying? This seem…

My understanding of the tool is that it actually _is_ the equivalent of avoiding looking at something. The browser either has been delivered the content already or has access to the content, but it's wrapped in an advertisement to subscribe instead of an advertisement for some third party. Looks like it uses the same mechanisms that tools like uBlock use.

Similarly, I avoid looking at the advertisements bundled in my USPS mail (which are often advertising subscriptions).

Re: Bypass Paywalls: a browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites

#150

Post by sfe22 »

Barrin92 wrote: post #145
Wolfenstein98k wrote: post #126

I know I'll get downvoted for this but I feel like this stuff is pretty close to theft. I can understand justifying ad-blocking, arguing that you don't want to see it. So even though you're depriving them of revenue while consuming the product funded by it, there's at least an argument that you're only controlling what you see. But using tricks to get access to something not available to you without paying? This seem…

>but I feel like this stuff is pretty close to theft It is theft, plain and simple. Someone makes something, owns the property, they have the right to determine under what conditions they sell it. I always find it hilarious how people defend piracy with arguments about making products more user friendly/cheaper and so on. If you don't like something, don't buy it. If you're bypassing payment without the owners permis…

What did the publisher lose that he had before?
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