Paywall bypass

Onkel Neal · 04-16-23, 08:50 AM

I'm using two paywall bypass tools,

Archive Today https://archive.ph/
so far works 100% of the time

and
12 Foot Ladder https://12ft.io/
Works about 90% of the time

I will post this thread in GT and then move it to PC Hardware/Software after a few weeks.

Skybird · 04-16-23, 08:54 AM

Yes, that works with quite some websites, though not all. I use the first one since a few months for several German newspapers. It works in 2 of 3 cases, or papers.

Combining it with Google website translator however often fails.

Will try the second one, too, that one was new to me.

MaDef · 04-16-23, 11:30 AM

Isn't that a violation of the CFAA? (not the software itself, but the bypassing of paywalls)

Moonlight · 04-17-23, 04:44 AM

Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)

https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreute...%20information.

MaDef is right and he's maybe wrong at the same time, where are Subsim's barrack room lawyers when you need them. The software takes a snapshot of a web page and archives them somehow, that is probably not illegal, but, the software has to access that paywall site and if you haven't paid for the privilege of seeing such information that is probably illegal.

Hmmmmm.
As a fine upstanding member of my local community (I don't know where I got that from but it sounds nice) I would never use any software that would potentially give me a criminal record even though it's freely available to use on the interweb.

Case Ongoing.

Skybird · 04-17-23, 04:48 AM

The first of Neal'S two softwares is available as a Firefox app, and I would assume that Mozilla has a lawyers' backroom club taking care fo such things and checking them out. They have withdrawn apps for legal reasons in past years. Its in Mozilla's own interest to make sure its apps do not violate legal standards and by that criminlaise the behaviour of Mozilla. Why woudl they allow an app to compromise their legal status?

In Germany it is illegal only when the original material, the text you want to read, gets altered or manipulated in the process of evading the paywall. It is up to the website owner to install measures that make sure the paywall cannot be avoided. And some do it: as I said, the tools do not work with every website, some stay blocked with them.

If somebody wants to make sure nobody unwanted gets to read his texts, he can make sure that nobody can for sure.

Note that available common VPN software does allow you to access foreign content and streams that originally were blocked for the world region you live in. So far, nobody has taken legal action over that, too, AFAIK.

And youtube constantly alters its schemes by which it tries to neutralise currently existing video grabbers that allow you to download youtube videos. The availability of such tools/apps could simply be declared illegal by the lawmaker, but instead the companies must take the tougher way of constantly fighting the uphill battle and changign their technical ways to spoil it for the existing tools. So that new tools get developed and released. I think there are also mods for Android that allow you to shut down the screen on your smartphone but having the sound of youtube (music) playing on. Google does not want it, they want you to buy a monthly abo to allow you that. Still, the apps/mods existed last time I checked. I am just not interested in that noise.

Rockstar · 04-17-23, 06:12 AM

I've had pretty good success with refreshing browser page and stopping it before it completes the process.

MaDef · 04-17-23, 09:10 AM

Skybird, a regional block is different from a paywall. Bypassing a regional block is analogous to smuggling (ie; importing goods not legally available), whereas bypassing a paywall is like stealing a newspaper or magazine (aka theft).

Your post poses a moral question, If bypassing a paywall isn't considered theft, what is the rationale behind that position. and if it is considered theft, why is it acceptable to engage in the behavior.

Not making judgements here, just curious. While I'm not particularly religious, I do hold hard and fast to a few tenets of the Bible. The top 2 are, Do Not Lie & Do Not Steal.

Skybird · 04-17-23, 10:10 AM

I found this last summer.

https://popzazzle.blogspot.com/2022/...-paywalls.html

Respect for respect. Its a mutual thing.

Skybird · 04-17-23, 10:19 AM

And this is what archive.today actually is and what it does.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archive.today

Platapus · 04-17-23, 04:59 PM

Neal, as a website owner/operator, I am surprised you would post such a thing.

How is this different than your policy on video game pirating posts?

Quote:

SUBSIM Review has a longstanding policy against software piracy. We do NOT allow discussion or even mention of game piracy, warez, peer-to-peer game swapping, game cracks, illegal download sites, or illegal file-sharing. Nothing will get you banned faster than pointing people to illegal software distribution sites. Don't ask for serial numbers, manuals, or cracks.

Any admission that you have in your possession illegal software can and usually will result in revocation of your Radio Room forum account and permanent ban. We do not care what you do on your computer in your home, but do not discuss it here.Support computer game programmers buy legally purchasing their work. They have to eat too, you know.

Discussion of torrents is also not allowed on this site. Please don't post links to torrents in our forum.

Rockstar · 04-17-23, 05:41 PM

I don’t think using something like the above links is actually bypassing any effective security features. Especially when all I have to do for some websites is just turn off Java Script and I won’t even know a paywall exists. It’s also my IP and I can change it anytime I want with a VPN.

Paywall or no paywall the only thing that might be considered illegal is what you do with the content you have access too.

Onkel Neal · 04-17-23, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Neal, as a website owner/operator, I am surprised you would post such a thing.

How is this different than your policy on video game pirating posts?

I'm becoming more liberal with age.

Skybird · 04-18-23, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I'm becoming more liberal with age.

Olympus has fallen.
London has fallen.
Angel has fallen.

Now soon in the cinemas:
Lone Star has fallen.

MaDef · 04-18-23, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

I found this last summer.

https://popzazzle.blogspot.com/2022/...-paywalls.html

Respect for respect. Its a mutual thing.

After a lot of obfuscation and twisted logic, the article comes to the conclusion that bypassing paywalls is not a good thing, and could very well result in internet user privacy issues in the future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockstar

I don’t think using something like the above links is actually bypassing any effective security features. Especially when all I have to do for some websites is just turn off Java Script and I won’t even know a paywall exists. It’s also my IP and I can change it anytime I want with a VPN.

Paywall or no paywall the only thing that might be considered illegal is what you do with the content you have access too.

Talk about splitting hairs, Theft is ok as long as the lock is weak?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I'm becoming more liberal with age.

A quote by Anselme Batbie (1872) comes to mind, but I understand it's bad form to insult you're host.

Rockstar · 04-18-23, 02:42 PM

What I meant by paywalls are not an effective security measure. Is they are simply not considered a security measure.

The biggest issue with using JavaScript is it could insert malicious code and that will directly affect your computer. What’s illegal about me preventing a source from downloading script to my PC?

Legal issues over articles arise from copywrite laws. Such as copy & pasting articles regardless if it’s free or not even if you acknowledge the source or not.

04-16-23, 08:50 AM	#1
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,363 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 224	Paywall bypass I'm using two paywall bypass tools, Archive Today https://archive.ph/ so far works 100% of the time and 12 Foot Ladder https://12ft.io/ Works about 90% of the time I will post this thread in GT and then move it to PC Hardware/Software after a few weeks. __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

04-16-23, 08:54 AM	#2
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 41,432 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	Yes, that works with quite some websites, though not all. I use the first one since a few months for several German newspapers. It works in 2 of 3 cases, or papers. Combining it with Google website translator however often fails. Will try the second one, too, that one was new to me. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

04-17-23, 04:44 AM	#4
Moonlight Admiral Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Fookhall Copse Posts: 2,377 Downloads: 184 Uploads: 0	Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreute...%20information. MaDef is right and he's maybe wrong at the same time, where are Subsim's barrack room lawyers when you need them. The software takes a snapshot of a web page and archives them somehow, that is probably not illegal, but, the software has to access that paywall site and if you haven't paid for the privilege of seeing such information that is probably illegal. Hmmmmm. As a fine upstanding member of my local community (I don't know where I got that from but it sounds nice) I would never use any software that would potentially give me a criminal record even though it's freely available to use on the interweb. Case Ongoing. __________________

04-17-23, 04:48 AM	#5
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 41,432 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	The first of Neal'S two softwares is available as a Firefox app, and I would assume that Mozilla has a lawyers' backroom club taking care fo such things and checking them out. They have withdrawn apps for legal reasons in past years. Its in Mozilla's own interest to make sure its apps do not violate legal standards and by that criminlaise the behaviour of Mozilla. Why woudl they allow an app to compromise their legal status? In Germany it is illegal only when the original material, the text you want to read, gets altered or manipulated in the process of evading the paywall. It is up to the website owner to install measures that make sure the paywall cannot be avoided. And some do it: as I said, the tools do not work with every website, some stay blocked with them. If somebody wants to make sure nobody unwanted gets to read his texts, he can make sure that nobody can for sure. Note that available common VPN software does allow you to access foreign content and streams that originally were blocked for the world region you live in. So far, nobody has taken legal action over that, too, AFAIK. And youtube constantly alters its schemes by which it tries to neutralise currently existing video grabbers that allow you to download youtube videos. The availability of such tools/apps could simply be declared illegal by the lawmaker, but instead the companies must take the tougher way of constantly fighting the uphill battle and changign their technical ways to spoil it for the existing tools. So that new tools get developed and released. I think there are also mods for Android that allow you to shut down the screen on your smartphone but having the sound of youtube (music) playing on. Google does not want it, they want you to buy a monthly abo to allow you that. Still, the apps/mods existed last time I checked. I am just not interested in that noise. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert. Last edited by Skybird; 04-17-23 at 05:04 AM.

04-17-23, 10:10 AM	#8
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 41,432 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	I found this last summer. https://popzazzle.blogspot.com/2022/...-paywalls.html Respect for respect. Its a mutual thing. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

04-16-23, 11:30 AM	#3
MaDef Ace of the Deep Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,072 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Isn't that a violation of the CFAA? (not the software itself, but the bypassing of paywalls)

04-17-23, 06:12 AM	#6
Rockstar In the Brig Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Zendia Bar & Grill Posts: 12,575 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I've had pretty good success with refreshing browser page and stopping it before it completes the process.

04-17-23, 09:10 AM	#7
MaDef Ace of the Deep Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,072 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Skybird, a regional block is different from a paywall. Bypassing a regional block is analogous to smuggling (ie; importing goods not legally available), whereas bypassing a paywall is like stealing a newspaper or magazine (aka theft). Your post poses a moral question, If bypassing a paywall isn't considered theft, what is the rationale behind that position. and if it is considered theft, why is it acceptable to engage in the behavior. Not making judgements here, just curious. While I'm not particularly religious, I do hold hard and fast to a few tenets of the Bible. The top 2 are, Do Not Lie & Do Not Steal.

04-17-23, 10:19 AM	#9
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 41,432 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	And this is what archive.today actually is and what it does. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archive.today __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

04-17-23, 05:41 PM	#11
Rockstar In the Brig Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Zendia Bar & Grill Posts: 12,575 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I don’t think using something like the above links is actually bypassing any effective security features. Especially when all I have to do for some websites is just turn off Java Script and I won’t even know a paywall exists. It’s also my IP and I can change it anytime I want with a VPN. Paywall or no paywall the only thing that might be considered illegal is what you do with the content you have access too. Last edited by Rockstar; 04-17-23 at 06:03 PM.

04-18-23, 02:42 PM	#15
Rockstar In the Brig Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Zendia Bar & Grill Posts: 12,575 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	What I meant by paywalls are not an effective security measure. Is they are simply not considered a security measure. The biggest issue with using JavaScript is it could insert malicious code and that will directly affect your computer. What’s illegal about me preventing a source from downloading script to my PC? Legal issues over articles arise from copywrite laws. Such as copy & pasting articles regardless if it’s free or not even if you acknowledge the source or not. Last edited by Rockstar; 04-18-23 at 05:38 PM.