If you want to read the Spectator’s articles for free, read on. In this article, you will learn how to bypass the paywall on the Spectator website.
Subscription sites like The Spectator often allow readers to access a few articles for free, but if you want to explore more, they’ll typically prompt you to subscribe. While this approach works for regular readers, it can be frustrating when you just want to check out a single article a friend recommended.
How many times have you found yourself deeply engaged in an article, only to be interrupted by a paywall that asks you to subscribe or begin a “free trial” that doesn’t seem truly free?
I’m not against paying for quality content, but shelling out money for just one article can feel excessive. So, I redirected my efforts from reading the article to discovering how to bypass the paywall.
After some trial and error, I uncovered a simple workaround.
The trick? Just prepend 12ft.io/ to the website’s URL in your browser’s address bar.
To do this, click on the address bar in your browser (or press “Cmd + L” on a Mac or “Ctrl + L” on Windows), type 12ft.io/ before the https://, and hit enter. (If 12ft.io doesn’t work for any reason, you can also try removepaywall.com before the website’s address as an alternative.)
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Your address bar should look something like this: 12ft.io/https://spectator.co.uk/.........
Your article should now be accessible, and any additional articles you click on will open via 12ft.io, bypassing popups. However, be aware that some webpage elements, such as images, may not display, and the formatting could appear slightly off, which you may need to adjust.
⚠️ Heads up: Websites with paywalls are becoming increasingly strict about blocking bypass tools, so these methods may not work indefinitely. Additionally, 12ft.io may experience downtime, so if it’s not functioning, you can check its status here.
Why and How Does This Work?
12ft.io offers a free method for bypassing paywalls. It’s one of several tools available for this purpose; another popular option is removepaywall.com.
How Do Paywall Removers Work?
Often, sites like The Spectator fully load an article on your device before the paywall kicks in to block access. This brief delay allows the content to be present on your device, but JavaScript is employed to obscure it and prompt you to subscribe.
Paywall bypass tools disable this JavaScript, allowing you to read the article without interruptions. Websites that use this tactic are referred to as having a “soft paywall,” where content is accessible but hidden by code.
On the other hand, “hard paywalls,” like those implemented by The New York Times and Medium.com, are significantly stricter. In these cases, only a short snippet or introduction is sent to your browser, and accessing the full article requires a verified user ID and password, as the complete content isn’t loaded onto your device.
Why Don’t All Websites Use Hard Paywalls?
You may wonder why some sites choose to use soft paywalls if they can be easily bypassed. This decision often relates to their visibility on search engines.
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When an article is completely hidden behind a hard paywall that requires login credentials, even Google cannot index it. Without Google’s visibility, that article is essentially invisible on the web.
This situation creates a balancing act—websites need to attract subscribers while also maintaining their visibility in search results. Soft paywalls offer a compromise.
Typically, only sites with content that readers deem valuable enough to pay for upfront will implement hard paywalls.
What About Ethics?
Accessing paid content without paying for it is similar to taking something for free, and there isn’t a compelling moral justification for doing so. However, the price of a single article can sometimes feel quite high.
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A more reasonable option, such as £0.99 for several articles, could be perceived as fairer.
Wrapping Up
Now you know how to access The Spectator articles without needing a subscription.
Remember that these paywall bypass techniques only work on soft paywalls. Hard paywalls cannot be bypassed, except perhaps through the Wayback Machine.