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12ft doesn't cut it anymore, any advice on getting past article paywalls
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this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2023
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Privacy
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What is 12ft?
12ft.io is a website that allows you to bypass paywalls on websites. Specifically for articles/news. The idea being “show me a 10ft wall and I’ll build a 12ft ladder.” It worked well against a lot of article and news outlet paywalls originally, but as time has gone on more and more sites are starting to show up on it as unable to bypass.
Ah got it, thanks.
The great enshittification continues.
How is it enshittification to stop people from pirating your stuff?
These websites generally only work due to poor website coding. If they properly implemented a paywall, sites like Archive and 12ft would never work because you would actually need to pay for access.
Sites like Archive still seem to work, while 12ft returns empty pages.
I wouldn't really consider improving their website coding so that people can't pirate it enshittification.
Enshittification is based around a platform first creating something good for users and then making it good for suppliers and then when they are locked in, reduce quality. You aren't locked into a news website that you aren't even paying for, and you aren't entitled to their products either.
That's not the issue I am describing. Instead of improving their website code so people cannot pirate it, it seems like they are specifically blocking 12ft. Other workarounds still work.
How is specifically blocking 12ft enshittification then.
Because it's slapping a bandaid fix on the side instead of fixing it as a whole?
It's a poor, sloppy way to address the problem. But that's just how these companies operate I guess.
On the one hand, you're absolutely right.
On the other hand "The truth is paywalled, but the lies are free."