[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Looking for sites blocked by paywalls or remove-ad-blockers
Dick Miller
TheMillers at millermicro.com
Mon Nov 13 14:32:47 PST 2023
Whoops! Mitch beat me to it. (Well done, Mitch!) Let libraries go modern!
Cheers from
--Dick Miller, Partner, MMS <TheMillers at millermicro.com>
On 11/13/23 16:32, Mitchell I. Wolfe via LCTG wrote:
>
> Oftentimes the textual content actually has been downloaded into the
> browser but Javascript is blocking display.
>
> You can use a browser plug-in extension or similar tool as Steve
> suggested to just show the text without images and other clutter.
> Before complex multi-media content, people used to use the legacy Lynx
> text web browser <https://lynx.invisible-island.net/> which probably
> still works.
>
> Alternatively I've used the Textise Bookmarklet
> <https://www.textise.net/Bookmarklet.aspx> tool. You add the special
> bookmark to your browser by following the instructions. A page is
> redisplayed as text when you click on the bookmark.
>
> Newspapers, magazine, and other periodicals are often available at
> your local library both as hardcopy or online to patrons. The
> Lexington Cary Library gets a good deal on online subscriptions
> because they often pay on a town population basis but the library is
> the second busiest in the state.
>
> Support your local library...
>
> -- Mitch
>
> On 2023-11-13 15:36, Steve Isenberg via LCTG wrote:
>
>> The ad-blocker works to detect and block advertisements on the pages
>> you are viewing. It does not check the content for anything, doesn't
>> block any malware or viruses (that's the job of antivirus software).
>> Site owners don't like ad-blockers because the site owners earn money
>> when advertisements are displayed on the page (and especially when/if
>> you click on the advertisement) and by blocking advertisements on a
>> page they are not getting any of this potential money.
>> My issue/concern/complaint is not that I want to prevent the site
>> from displaying advertisements, as really I do try to disable all
>> advertisement-preventing plugins (that is, ad-blockers) to let the
>> site display advertisements. But while I think I've disabled all of
>> them, the site complains that I still have some open and active.
>> Now if the site were to be specific and tell me that I still have the
>> XYZ ad-blocking software active, I could then get this XYZ turned off.
>> But it's a guessing game as the site is saying to me "you haven't
>> turned them all off. I know this in ways I'm not going to tell you
>> and I may even know which one(s) you haven't turned off, but it is up
>> to you to figure out which one(s) and turn it or them off."
>> Tip: I have had some measure of success seeing content using the
>> Reader mode on my iPhone and the Tranquility! extension on my MacOS
>> systems Firefox browser.
>> Regards,
>> -steve
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 13, 2023 at 3:10 PM Richard Wagner via LCTG
>> <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:
>>
>> Oops! I meant the malware, viruses, etc. in the content I am
>> trying to access, not necessarily that exists in an ad that may
>> be present. Sorry!
>>
>> Dick
>>
>> On 11/13/2023 2:53 PM, Richard Wagner via LCTG wrote:
>>>
>>> To me, circumventing ads and gaining access to web content that
>>> the web site spent resources to establish are two different
>>> "beasts". I want access to the web content, so paying for it has
>>> an ethical and, likely, a copyright aspect to it. I DID NOT
>>> request a popup ad that requires that I must disable my
>>> ad-blocker in order to gain access to the information I am
>>> seeking. My assumption has been that the ad-blocker is present
>>> to eliminate malware, viruses, etc. that may exist in the ad (am
>>> I incorrect in this assumption?). Thus, I would like to learn
>>> how to circumvent such ad-blocker turnoff requests without
>>> turning my ad-blocker off! Incidentally, I have no (or maybe a
>>> little) problem with ads that accompany the content I am wishing
>>> to peruse. I have lived with this annoyance my whole life:
>>> radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, web-site content, etc.
>>>
>>> Dick
>>>
>>> On 11/13/2023 2:23 PM, David Lees via LCTG wrote:
>>>> George,
>>>> Perhaps micropayments and whatever the software infrastructure
>>>> for them would be a good topic for an LCTG talk? Maybe you
>>>> have already had one of those in the past, but hopefully, it is
>>>> an area that is changing, because I know they (the payment
>>>> processing costs) used to be expensive. But, agreed it would
>>>> be great if you could pay a small amount by the article rather
>>>> than a subscription. I know for technical articles, the cost
>>>> per article is rather high for an individual, but given the
>>>> potential volume for news and mass distribution material, why
>>>> not have 25 or 50 cents per article?
>>>> David Lees
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Nov 13, 2023 at 2:10 PM George Gamota
>>>> <ggamota at stma-llc.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I understand the ethics if you access a website a lot
>>>> bypassing paying, but what I find an issue, is when you
>>>> have one article that might be of interest, say published
>>>> by Kansas City Tribune. You don't want to pay and read
>>>> articles published by them daily. So maybe there could a
>>>> payment say of $.50 to read that one article.
>>>>
>>>> Just a thought
>>>>
>>>> George
>>>>
>>>> *From:* LCTG
>>>> <lctg-bounces+ggamota=stma-llc.com at lists.toku.us> *On
>>>> Behalf Of *carllazarus--- via LCTG
>>>> *Sent:* Monday, November 13, 2023 1:17 PM
>>>> *To:* 'David Lees' <joeoptics at gmail.com>; 'Robert Primak'
>>>> <bobprimak at yahoo.com>
>>>> *Cc:* 'Lex Computer Group' <lctg at lists.toku.us>; 'Steve
>>>> Isenberg' <smisenberg at gmail.com>
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Looking for
>>>> sites blocked by paywalls or remove-ad-blockers
>>>>
>>>> Exactly my thought. We may be talking about large entities
>>>> such as the NY Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal,
>>>> etc. but if we want them to continue to exist they need to
>>>> be able to pay their expenses and make some money.
>>>>
>>>> -- Carl
>>>>
>>>> *From:* LCTG
>>>> <lctg-bounces+carllazarus=comcast.net at lists.toku.us> *On
>>>> Behalf Of *David Lees via LCTG
>>>> *Sent:* Monday, November 13, 2023 1:12 PM
>>>> *To:* Robert Primak <bobprimak at yahoo.com>
>>>> *Cc:* Lex Computer Group <lctg at lists.toku.us>; Steve
>>>> Isenberg <smisenberg at gmail.com>
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Looking for
>>>> sites blocked by paywalls or remove-ad-blockers
>>>>
>>>> You could also discuss the ethical issues of not paying for
>>>> things that people trying to make a living are doing?
>>>>
>>>> David Lees
>>>> From Pixel 6 Pro
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Nov 13, 2023, 1:00 PM Robert Primak via LCTG
>>>> <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> You are NOT committing any crime by using most evasion
>>>> techniques available to the general public (not
>>>> tech-savvy hackers).
>>>>
>>>> I don't know what Steve has or had in mind, but no one
>>>> can take any legal actions against anyone for publicly
>>>> discussing these tactics.
>>>>
>>>> Please refer to You Tube's Terms of Use and Zoom's code
>>>> of user conduct if in any further doubt. Other sites
>>>> also have terms of use.
>>>>
>>>> -- Bob Primak
>>>>
>>>> On Monday, November 13, 2023 at 12:52:44 PM EST, Steve
>>>> Isenberg via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Gentlepeople,
>>>>
>>>> After much consideration, discussing with several
>>>> people, and consulting with ChatGPT, I've decided _not_
>>>> to demonstrate this. We can discuss the situation on
>>>> Wednesday's Potpourri but I no longer feel comfortable
>>>> giving a demonstration for legal reasons. My apologies.
>>>>
>>>> I'm open to comments.
>>>>
>>>> -steve
>>>>
>>>> Here's what I've learned from ChatGPT:
>>>>
>>>> Steve asks ChatGPT:
>>>>
>>>> suppose I have found a way to get around a paywall
>>>> without paying or subscribing, or to get around a
>>>> site's requirement to disable all ad blockers without
>>>> disabling ad blockers, and I can do this only on my
>>>> computer and without accessing or tampering with the
>>>> website. Am I committing a crime or doing something
>>>> that would subject me to a lawsuit or other legal
>>>> action by the website owner?
>>>>
>>>> ChatGPT responds (edited):
>>>>
>>>> Circumventing paywalls or other access restrictions
>>>> without authorization may be a violation of the
>>>> website's terms of service, which could potentially
>>>> lead to legal consequences. Additionally, in some
>>>> jurisdictions, such actions could be considered
>>>> unauthorized access, hacking, or a violation of
>>>> computer security laws.
>>>> If you find a way to bypass paywalls and other measures
>>>> that protect the website content without permission, it
>>>> may be seen as a violation of the website's rights and
>>>> could result in legal action.
>>>>
>>>> I asked Aria the same question and it responds(edited):
>>>>
>>>> It's important to note that bypassing paywalls or
>>>> circumventing a website's requirements without
>>>> permission may be considered unethical or even illegal
>>>> in some jurisdictions. Here are a few points to consider:
>>>> Websites have the right to protect their content and
>>>> enforce their terms of service.
>>>> Unauthorized access to paid content or finding ways to
>>>> bypass paywalls may violate copyright laws or terms of
>>>> service agreements.
>>>> Engaging in such activities could potentially subject
>>>> you to legal action by the website owner, such as a
>>>> lawsuit or other legal consequences.
>>>>
>>>> Harry asked a similar question addressing only
>>>> circumventing paywalls, and got the response (edited):
>>>>
>>>> Bypassing a paywall of a website without a subscription
>>>> could potentially be considered a violation of the
>>>> website's terms of service or terms of use. It may also
>>>> infringe upon copyright laws or other applicable laws,
>>>> depending on the jurisdiction. Engaging in such
>>>> activities could potentially have legal consequences,
>>>> including the possibility of facing legal action from
>>>> the website owner. It is always advisable to respect
>>>> the terms and conditions set by website owners and to
>>>> seek proper legal means to access content.
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Nov 13, 2023 at 12:01 PM Robert Primak
>>>> <bobprimak at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> The Boston Globe and the New York Times hide a lot
>>>> of their content.
>>>>
>>>> Then there's the somewhat more problematic case of
>>>> You Tube.
>>>>
>>>> -- Bob Primak
>>>>
>>>> On Monday, November 13, 2023 at 08:25:34 AM EST,
>>>> Steve Isenberg via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Gentlepeople,
>>>>
>>>> This Wednesday as part of the presentation I plan
>>>> to show how to proceed to web sites that prevent
>>>> you from accessing their content unless you (a)
>>>> remove all of your ad-blockers, or (b) subscribe or
>>>> pay to see the content (paywalls).
>>>>
>>>> Could you send me (and not the list) the URL of
>>>> sites you have run into that block your access, and
>>>> I'll add them to the list I'll use as demonstrations.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>> -steve
>>>>
>>>> ===============================================
>>>> ::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group
>>>> Mailing List::
>>>> Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.
>>>> Send to the list: LCTG at lists.toku.us Message
>>>> archives: http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/
>>>> To subscribe: email lctg-subscribe at toku.us To
>>>> unsubscribe: email lctg-unsubscribe at toku.us
>>>> Future and Past meeting information:
>>>> http://LCTG.toku.us <http://LCTG.toku.us>
>>>> List information:
>>>> http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us
>>>> This message was sent to bobprimak at yahoo.com. <#v1NOP>
>>>> Set your list options:
>>>> http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/bobprimak@yahoo.com
>>>>
>>>> ===============================================
>>>> ::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing
>>>> List::
>>>> Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.
>>>> Send to the list: LCTG at lists.toku.us Message
>>>> archives: http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/
>>>> To subscribe: email lctg-subscribe at toku.us To
>>>> unsubscribe: email lctg-unsubscribe at toku.us
>>>> Future and Past meeting information:
>>>> http://LCTG.toku.us <http://LCTG.toku.us>
>>>> List information:
>>>> http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us
>>>> This message was sent to bobprimak at yahoo.com. <#v1NOP>
>>>> Set your list options:
>>>> http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/bobprimak@yahoo.com
>>>>
>>>> ===============================================
>>>> ::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing
>>>> List::
>>>> Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.
>>>> Send to the list: LCTG at lists.toku.us Message
>>>> archives: http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/
>>>> To subscribe: email lctg-subscribe at toku.us To
>>>> unsubscribe: email lctg-unsubscribe at toku.us
>>>> Future and Past meeting information:
>>>> http://LCTG.toku.us <http://LCTG.toku.us>
>>>> List information:
>>>> http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us
>>>> This message was sent to joeoptics at gmail.com.
>>>> Set your list options:
>>>> http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/joeoptics@gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ===============================================
>>>> ::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing List::
>>>> Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.
>>>> Send to the list:LCTG at lists.toku.us Message archives:http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/
>>>> To subscribe: emaillctg-subscribe at toku.us To unsubscribe: emaillctg-unsubscribe at toku.us
>>>> Future and Past meeting information:http://LCTG.toku.us <http://LCTG.toku.us>
>>>> List information:http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us
>>>> This message was sent tor.w.wagner at verizon.net.
>>>> Set your list options:http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/r.w.wagner@verizon.net
>>>
>>> ===============================================
>>> ::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing List::
>>> Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.
>>> Send to the list:LCTG at lists.toku.us Message archives:http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/
>>> To subscribe: emaillctg-subscribe at toku.us To unsubscribe: emaillctg-unsubscribe at toku.us
>>> Future and Past meeting information:http://LCTG.toku.us <http://LCTG.toku.us>
>>> List information:http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us
>>> This message was sent tor.w.wagner at verizon.net.
>>> Set your list options:http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/r.w.wagner@verizon.net
>> ===============================================
>> ::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing List::
>> Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.
>> Send to the list: LCTG at lists.toku.us Message archives:
>> http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/
>> To subscribe: email lctg-subscribe at toku.us To unsubscribe: email
>> lctg-unsubscribe at toku.us
>> Future and Past meeting information: http://LCTG.toku.us
>> <http://LCTG.toku.us>
>> List information: http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us
>> This message was sent to s+lctglist at smistuff.com.
>> Set your list options:
>> http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/s+lctglist@smistuff.com
>>
>>
>> ===============================================
>> ::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing List::
>> Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.
>> Send to the list: LCTG at lists.toku.us Message archives:
>> http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/
>> To subscribe: email lctg-subscribe at toku.us To unsubscribe: email
>> lctg-unsubscribe at toku.us
>> Future and Past meeting information: http://LCTG.toku.us
>> <http://LCTG.toku.us>
>> List information: http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us
>> This message was sent to mwolfe at vinebrook.com.
>> Set your list options:
>> http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/mwolfe@vinebrook.com
>
>
>
> ===============================================
> ::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing List::
> Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.
> Send to the list:LCTG at lists.toku.us Message archives:http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/
> To subscribe: emaillctg-subscribe at toku.us To unsubscribe: emaillctg-unsubscribe at toku.us
> Future and Past meeting information:http://LCTG.toku.us
> List information:http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us
> This message was sent tothemillers at millermicro.com.
> Set your list options:http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/themillers@millermicro.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/attachments/20231113/c26632bd/attachment.htm>
More information about the LCTG
mailing list