PSA: Bypass Mainstream Media Bullcrap Paywalls

Free Access and Everyday Hacks

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I wonder if this is reprimandable at all but screw it, I’m here to spread the love. I don’t read the newspaper as much as I did when I could get fresh new copies of the NYTimes and USA Today on my campus for free but ever since the complete media blowouts of the ’16 election. Every so often a friend on Facebook will share a linked article by the New York Times or Wall Street Journal and upon clicking, I’m met with this friendly little welcome -

The Wall Street Journal is no different -

This is unfortunately the reality we live in. Paper revenue has died off to the point where these outlets are forced to monetize their online posts. This creates a great discrepancy of who has access to information and education based on a pocketbook. We’re likely going to see more of these paywalls and ad campaigns that stunt and distort our consumption of “news” in the near future.

Especially with the recent scandal and general agreement that Facebook is the news industry killer, we’re probably in the first early stages of seeing the information landscape shift seismically under us. There will be some hard-hitting existential questions lying ahead…

But in the meantime, I bring you a simple short-term patch.

Incognito

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Want to access that tantalizingly title article that’s stuck behind a “free” quota and paywall? Simply pop open your Incognito or Private mode in your browser and paste the address. Voila`.

Before -

After -

Easy peasy. Ironic how in an era of mass-information, mainstream news outlets are making their content all the more difficult to access.

So there you go. Go get your read on and edumacate yo’self.

Steem on!