Your free internet access is coming to an end, and there's nothing you can do about it.
Pay what you owe.
The permanence of a free internet has been a true phenomenon, managing to sustain itself for almost three decades with free access to a variety of content, ranging from magazine and newspaper articles to videos and recipes. However, the unsustainability of the online advertising model has led most sites to rethink their strategies.
A recent example of this trend is CNN.com, which has decided to implement a paywall system. This new model will not completely block access to content but will limit the number of articles users can view without paying. The specific details regarding the number of free accesses remain vague, but once that limit is reached, the option to subscribe for $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year will be offered. Although this fee may seem convenient for unlimited access, it represents a notable shift for those who have been using the site since its creation in August 1995.
CNN.com is not an exception; other competing sites, such as The Verge, are also considering implementing paywalls. Producing quality content, which includes everything from brief news to more elaborate analyses, entails significant costs. If advertising revenue declines due to the use of ad blockers or the competition from AI-generated content on search platforms, it is likely that media outlets will seek alternatives to finance their services.
The situation is further complicated for traditional media, as many internet users are turning to platforms like YouTube and TikTok for news, although these often lack the depth of information that characterizes recognized outlets like CNN.com or The Washington Post. While many still trust these traditional websites, the resistance to paying for content is becoming evident.
As a result, it is common for users to seek tricks to access more free content, such as opening browsers in incognito mode to avoid cookies that track the number of articles read. Although this method limits access to only one additional article, the satisfaction of bypassing the paywall is, for some, an achievement.
The emergence of a paid internet has challenged the notion that the web should be a completely free space. When the World Wide Web appeared, it did so almost accidentally and without a well-defined economic model. The rapid popularity of the medium attracted advertisers looking to capture users' attention, and although it was initially successful, the effectiveness of those ads has been compromised over time.
Although it has been understood for years that a completely free internet is unsustainable, adapting to this new reality seems to be a slow process for consumers. The dream of a free internet is giving way to a new model where the quality of content comes at a price.
