The Browser - The Paywall Maze

Dear Reader,

Kaamya here. I’m an editor at The Browser and one of the curators of the daily email newsletter. 

All too often these days, I come across an article with an interesting title or lede. Intrigued, I open the link. Two paragraphs in, to my dismay – there’s a paywall. 

It’s getting harder to find great writing that is not tucked away behind a paywall. This is not surprising, as search engines and algorithms push paywalled articles from prominent publications. 

Paywalls are complicated. Sometimes, a brilliant piece of writing will get temporarily ungated by the publication. And some other times, an article that was previously behind a paywall will be re-featured, for instance, on the author’s personal blog. This is a lot to keep track of!

At The Browser, we spend several hours every day combing through the rarer regions of the internet, unearthing hidden gems of writing. We love that rush of satisfaction we get from finding a niche magazine or blog devoted to deep dives on a curious and obscure topic. 

Our work takes time and effort, and is made possible by our paid subscribers. If you’re keen to discover more great writing, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

You’ll get access to the full Browser, which includes:

• Five outstanding articles every day (the free newsletter typically has two articles) 
• A video and a podcast every day
• A special Sunday Supplement with a cryptic crossword, a performance, an image, a book recommendation, and a poem
• Access to our entire digital archive, where you can find over a decade’s worth of The Browser’s thoughtful curation 

Enjoy the finest writing on the internet, for less than $1 a week.  

Best,
Kaamya