Getting users to subscribe to sites is hard enough for publishers, but
The latest version of Apple's Safari browser allows users to read free blocked content behind a paywall.
The latest browser update, which became available to users at the end of September, prevents sites from detecting whether the browser's private browsing mode is enabled for Safari users. Like Google's private browsing mode,
private browsing temporarily prevents publishers from reading or writing cookies to a user's smartphone or computer, which prevents a paywall from detecting how much content a reader has consumed. Paywall cannot verify the number of items a user has read,
it simply allows you to access premium content without a subscription.
Publishers had previously implemented a number of countermeasures to prevent users from visiting their sites in private browsing mode, but
Unfortunately Safari's private browsing feature can prevent these measures.
Private browsing mode
Despite the popularity of Apple's iPhone and Mac products, many Americans are ditching Safari for browsing the web in favor of Google's Chrome browser. According to Statcounter,
Safari controls only 9% of the US desktop browser market.
However, Safari users are more likely to pay for news, and for many news organizations, they often account for the majority of their subscribers. Danielle Coffey, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at News Media Alliance, told DIGIDAY that while private browsing mode protects users' privacy, their news outlets are suffering, saying: "This will lead to a difficult paywall for all readers and will make monetizing content more difficult. While we want to protect the privacy of our readers, we still need a return on our investments to maintain quality journalism."
the companies behind popular web browsers focus on privacy to attract consumers and stay ahead of regulatorsThey expect more and more media companies to start locking their content behind payments. The use of cookies to allow people to read some of your articles is no longer possible.
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Via DIGIDAY