Ask HN: Comments requesting paywall bypass links

6 points

2 years ago

I frequently see comments from people explicitly or implicitly asking for links to bypass paywalls on submitted articles. I'm confused by this, since it takes about the same amount of effort to generate your own paywall bypassing link as it does to post a comment asking for someone else to do it. Going beyond and posting this newly generated link for others to use does add a step, but doesn't seem like a lot to ask.

What's happening here?

Do these posters think some special magic is required? Are they not aware that creating such a link just involves going to the top level domain of one of the services (eg, http://archive.is) and pasting the URL into a form?

Are they opposed to the idea of creating such a link themselves, either due to moral qualms or legal fears, but willing a follow a link that some else has created?

Are they using a handheld device that makes it so hard to copy a URL and open a new page that they don't know how to start, whereas they know how to write a comment?

Or are they just so entitled that they think someone else should provide for them at all times, and don't want to demean themselves by helping others?

Can anyone who has posted such requests tell me their thought process? Can others who post bypass links suggest other explanations? General discussion on what the HN etiquette on paywall bypass links should be is welcomed as well.

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