With the tool txtify.it, it not only changes webpage articles to plain text, but it can also bypasses paywalls as well.
This is an easy way to access many paywalled websites with just a click of your mouse.
It is very similar to Textise, and basically they do the same thing: convert web pages into a plain text-only format.
Welcome to another post from The DiGiztal Bypass Paywalls Tips series.
As I have mentioned above, when in the process of removing the extraneous elements, Txtify.it also deleted the scripts of the paywalls.
How to get over paywalls with Txtify.it
There are two ways of doing it:
FIRST METHOD:
Copy out the blocked article URL, and paste it in the blank space provided here.
Then click "CONVERT".
Then you can view the raw plain text of the paywalled article.
SECOND METHOD:
Copy and save this JavaScript bookmarklet code to your browser.
Google Chrome:
Press Ctrl + Shift + O keys to bring up the Bookmark manager page called Bookmarks.
Click the three dots at the top of the right hand corner.
A context menu pops up, click “Add new bookmark”.
The "Add bookmark" box pops up.
The Name space, you can label it as any name you like.
For me, I called it DiGiztal Bypass Paywalls.
The URL space, you paste the above line of code inside it.
Then click the "Save" button.
Now you can see the JavaScript bookmarklet in your Chrome toolbar.
Mozilla Firefox:
To install bookmarklet on Firefox browser, this is what you do:
Press Ctrl + B keys, and the list of your bookmarks appears on the left hand side of the page.
Right click "Bookmarks Toolbar", .a menu pops up, click "Add Bookmark...".
The "Add bookmark" box appears.
The Name space, you can call it any name you preferred.
Again just like what I have explained in the Chrome above, the URL space, you paste the above line of code inside it.
Leave the Tags and Keyword spaces empty.
Finally click the "Save" button.
By the way, you can also install the txtify.it Firefox extension from here.
How does it work: Most soft paywalls use JavaScript to show pop-ups or blur content.
Txtify.it while stripping away ads and images, to turn a webpage into simple, plain text, it probably also removes JavaScript as well.
When you use Txtify.it, you are using its servers to handle the page, so your browser's tracking cookies aren't used, thus it can reset metered paywalls.
You can access websites like The New York Times, Vox, The Cut, Rolling Stone, and many more.
This is how to get over paywalls with txtify.it, in order to read all its articles in plain text without subscription.
NOTE: This method may not involve direct hacking or unauthorized access, it can still violate anti-circumvention laws and terms of service. Consider using the legal and ethical ways to access paywalled web articles.
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DISCLAIMER: This post is for educational purposes only. It aims to help you better understand web technologies and digital security. It does not endorse breaking website rules or illegal activity. Use responsibly; the author is not liable for misuse or legal issues.