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Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

bbarrows.com

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Re: Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

#41
Shortcut in macos, in most browsers, to get into "div selection mode" is "shift + command + c"...

Just press that, select the paywall (and any other junk backdrops/opaque divs), and press delete.

Sometimes the site also sets an `overflow: hidden` in the css, and you need to remove that to see the content..

Re: Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

#42

Many sites don't contains the full content even if you do that. I'm not sure of how it works (does it subscribed to them all?) but https://archive.ph/ is a good way to see the content in those cases. But really, if you are regularly reading content on a site you should subscribe to support the journalists employed there.

[deleted]

Re: Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

#43

Many sites don't contains the full content even if you do that. I'm not sure of how it works (does it subscribed to them all?) but https://archive.ph/ is a good way to see the content in those cases. But really, if you are regularly reading content on a site you should subscribe to support the journalists employed there.

Is this even legal? How can sites host other ones' content, and that's ok?

- Is it fair use because it's "archiving" the web?

- Is it because it's on the open web and it's public domain?

- Or is it illegal, and people do it because they can ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Re: Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

#46

Many sites don't contains the full content even if you do that. I'm not sure of how it works (does it subscribed to them all?) but https://archive.ph/ is a good way to see the content in those cases. But really, if you are regularly reading content on a site you should subscribe to support the journalists employed there.

Is this even legal? How can sites host other ones' content, and that's ok? - Is it fair use because it's "archiving" the web? - Is it because it's on the open web and it's public domain? - Or is it illegal, and people do it because they can ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Is caching illegal?

Re: Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

#47
post #32
post #6

or... just remove the `overflow: hidden` that's most likely placed on the ` ` or some high level ` `.

This is the correct answer - and then scrolling will work properly! Not sure why this 'hack' is on the front-page.

I learned a thing today that I would not have if it wasn't :)

Re: Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

#48
Title should be : "getting around very poorly implemented paywall (eg WaPo) with devtools alone".

As soon as your site sends the whole content of the article to the browser, you're not even trying seriously. (And Firefox "reading mode" is just much better ux than the devtools.)

Re: Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

#49

Many sites don't contains the full content even if you do that. I'm not sure of how it works (does it subscribed to them all?) but https://archive.ph/ is a good way to see the content in those cases. But really, if you are regularly reading content on a site you should subscribe to support the journalists employed there.

Is this even legal? How can sites host other ones' content, and that's ok? - Is it fair use because it's "archiving" the web? - Is it because it's on the open web and it's public domain? - Or is it illegal, and people do it because they can ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Archive.ph et al is run by a russian fellow so probably the third one, especially now that Russia doesn't seem to care about something like this at all

Re: Getting around website paywalls with devtools alone

#50
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this even legal? How can sites host other ones' content, and that's ok? - Is it fair use because it's "archiving" the web? - Is it because it's on the open web and it's public domain? - Or is it illegal, and people do it because they can ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Is caching illegal?

Caching is a generic technology that can be used in lawful or unlawful ways.
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