With the rise of digital content, also comes the additional integration of annoyances – in the form of unskippable sponsor segments, and of course, paywalled content. The usual way to deal with paywalled content is by simply paying up a (small) fee to support creators and the website in general, but that might not always be feasible.
For this, we have compiled a list of the best simple, yet effective tech-savvy ways to deal with paywalls on the internet – in no particular order.
Best ways to deal with paywalls on the internet
1) Block cookies and Javascript
This particular demonstration will use Google Chrome as an example:
- Click on the 3 dots on the right section of the UI.
- Select Settings from the drop down menu.
- Head to the Privacy and Security section.
- From here, navigate to the Site Settings.
- Scroll down to the sections that are marked as ‘Third-party cookies’ and ‘Javascript’.
- Select ‘Block third party cookies’ and ‘Don’t allow sites to use JavaScript’ for the two options respectively.
This is perhaps the simplest way to get rid of artificial paywalls on websites. However, disabling JavaScript can cause some functions to break, so use it at your discretion.
2) Use an adblocker
Content can sometimes be gated behind advertisements, of the very annoying variety. Having to waste precious time on clicks can turn out to be quite the hassle, especially when trying to download multiple files.
Using a proper adblocker can help solve these issues though, and is highly recommended. Given how potentially unsafe random links and redirects on the internet can be, having an adblocker in your arsenal can save you a ton of hassle in the long run.
The best adblocker currently is undoubtedly uBlock Origin, but given Chrome’s move toward Manifest V3, it has been rendered useless on most browsers, quite unfortunately.
3) SponsorBlock
While internet sponsors aren’t exactly a new or rare concept, they can get in the flow of things sometimes. Having sponsors delay your content can be annoying, and this is where tools such as SponsorBlock come in.
To install, simply head on over to your requisite browser extension store page, and directly search up SponsorBlock. Once installed, you should be able to bypass sponsored segments with ease – even on videos.
4) Using specific browser extensions
A more easier method to bypass locked content would be to use specific extensions on your browser. Fire up your browser and head to its extensions section. From here, head on over either to the Chrome or Firefox web stores.
Search specifically for extensions that can bypass paywalled content. Download it, and hit install when prompted to.
You should now have unrestricted access to the site.
5) Viewing an archive of the web page
Assuming none of the other methods work, you can always view a web archive of the URL in question. To do so, copy the URL of the site you wish to interact with first. Next head on over to either one of the two sites below:
Paste in the URL, and you should have immediate access to cached versions of the web page – which you can then browse with no restrictions.
Keep in mind that most of your content creators use adverts and sponsors as a means of income. Consider whitelisting your favorite content creators as a way to support them, or even donate directly to their Patreons and the like.
