Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Project status and disappearance

  • Popular “Bypass Paywalls” / “Bypass Paywalls Clean” repos on GitLab were taken down and sometimes briefly reappeared before 404’ing again.
  • The original GitHub repo exists but is not actively maintained; the GitLab fork had been the de facto main project with frequent updates.
  • The Firefox store version was also removed; a signed Firefox XPI existed briefly via GitLab and other links but many were quickly taken down.

Mirrors, archives, and forks

  • Multiple mirrors and forks are shared: GitHub mirrors, GitLab forks, torrent/magnet links, archive.org, and Software Heritage snapshots.
  • Some mirrors are significantly behind (hundreds of commits), others are very recent copies (early April 2024).
  • Users are seeding torrents and uploading snapshots to keep the project accessible.

“Clean” vs tracking and telemetry

  • The “clean” fork removed Google Analytics present in the earlier version.
  • However, some users note it still contacts a server (e.g., daily user counting script), so “clean” does not mean “no tracking.”
  • There is disagreement about how serious this is; some see it as benign telemetry, others as a trust issue.

Legal risk and takedown dynamics

  • Commenters debate whether paywall bypassing is DMCA “copy-protection” circumvention or mere access control.
  • Concerns raised about possible liability under DMCA, CFAA, or “fraud” theories, but no consensus.
  • Several speculate that major publishers and lawyers pressured hosts; some note how fast mirrors were removed.

Distribution, sideloading, and browser stores

  • Chrome Web Store is viewed as a gatekeeper; Chrome makes sideloading difficult.
  • Firefox Android now has a hidden debug option to sideload extensions in some builds; users want broader, official sideloading.
  • People discuss the lack of an F-Droid-like ecosystem for browser extensions.

Git hosting choices and censorship resistance

  • Some avoid GitHub due to its corporate owner; others question moving to GitLab instead of self-hosting.
  • Suggestions include Codeberg, Forgejo/Gitea, and decentralized systems like Radicle.
  • Users note GitLab’s aggressive response to takedown requests and its JS-heavy, gated interface.

Paywalls, workarounds, and broader web issues

  • Many say they’d subscribe to local or frequently used outlets but not dozens for occasional articles.
  • Alternatives mentioned: disabling JavaScript, using archive services, overlay-removal extensions, text-only browsers, and Gemini “decrapifiers.”
  • Broader complaints target JavaScript-heavy, overengineered sites and broken micro-payment models for news.