4 ms·

The main argument in this article doesn't apply unless the Medium writer enabled the partner program on the post. That's what enables the pay wall.

troydavis 7y ago
A huge percentage of the authors behind the paywall don’t realize that they are. It seems like Medium might have made this option less clear than it needs to be be (like by describing the benefits but not the drawbacks) or made it on by default.
- deleted 7y ago
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- knrz 7y ago
  Nah man, I considered turning it on for no reason in particular. Asked me for bank account routing info. Wasn't interested about it that much. Definitely not on by default.
  - DoctorOW 7y ago
    The partner program isn't on by default, the paywall is. You do not need to be part of the partner program for the paywall. Source: https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018834314-Stories-that-are-part-of-the-metered-paywall https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018834314-Stori...
    - dickeytk 7y ago
      What on earth are you talking about? From the link you posted: > Stories become eligible to be part of the metered paywall if the writer selects that option in each story’s distribution setting. Medium will never meter a story without the writer’s permission. > During the publish flow, you have the opportunity to check the box to be eligible for curation review and distribution across Medium. Checking this box means that your story is also eligible to be part of Medium’s metered paywall, and can earn money if you are in the Medium Partner Program.
      - deleted 7y ago
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      - reificator 7y ago
        Your second quote implies that the paywall and the partner program are separate.
        dickeytk 7y ago
        Partner Program is a prerequisite for having paywalled articles. https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018677974-About-Medium-s-distribution-and-earnings-system https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018677974-About...
        reificator 7y ago
        I don't see why, that link still implies that you can have paywalled articles without being part of the partner program. Follow the chart from the top: > Are you enrolled in the partner program? NO > Would you like to be eligible for curator review? YES > Was the story curated? YES > Story is distributed by Medium, is part of the paywall, and does not earn money.
        dickeytk 7y ago
        You're right actually: curation is paywalled even without payment. Still, it's not enabled by default: https://imgur.com/lFY0hzp https://imgur.com/lFY0hzp
- dickeytk 7y ago
  Do you have a source for this "huge percentage"?
  - troydavis 7y ago
    I wish I had stats, but I only have anecdotes, though a fair number of them. I’ve mentioned to 5 or 6 bloggers that their posts were behind a metered paywall and 0 of them knew or intended it. This person’s screenshot of the UX (as of Dec 2018) seems like it could be easy to misinterpret. It certainly doesn’t say anything like “Medium visitors are only able to read X free Medium articles. If your readers exceed X, they may be shown a paywall and be unable to read your post”: https://twitter.com/SachaGreif/status/1069842296844120064 https://twitter.com/SachaGreif/status/1069842296844120064
    - dickeytk 7y ago
      It's clearer now: https://imgur.com/lFY0hzp https://imgur.com/lFY0hzp
deleted 7y ago
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troydavis 7y ago

A huge percentage of the authors behind the paywall don’t realize that they are. It seems like Medium might have made this option less clear than it needs to be be (like by describing the benefits but not the drawbacks) or made it on by default.

deleted 7y ago
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knrz 7y ago
Nah man, I considered turning it on for no reason in particular. Asked me for bank account routing info. Wasn't interested about it that much. Definitely not on by default.
- DoctorOW 7y ago
  The partner program isn't on by default, the paywall is. You do not need to be part of the partner program for the paywall. Source: https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018834314-Stories-that-are-part-of-the-metered-paywall https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018834314-Stori...
  - dickeytk 7y ago
    What on earth are you talking about? From the link you posted: > Stories become eligible to be part of the metered paywall if the writer selects that option in each story’s distribution setting. Medium will never meter a story without the writer’s permission. > During the publish flow, you have the opportunity to check the box to be eligible for curation review and distribution across Medium. Checking this box means that your story is also eligible to be part of Medium’s metered paywall, and can earn money if you are in the Medium Partner Program.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
    - reificator 7y ago
      Your second quote implies that the paywall and the partner program are separate.
      - dickeytk 7y ago
        Partner Program is a prerequisite for having paywalled articles. https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018677974-About-Medium-s-distribution-and-earnings-system https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018677974-About...
        reificator 7y ago
        I don't see why, that link still implies that you can have paywalled articles without being part of the partner program. Follow the chart from the top: > Are you enrolled in the partner program? NO > Would you like to be eligible for curator review? YES > Was the story curated? YES > Story is distributed by Medium, is part of the paywall, and does not earn money.
        dickeytk 7y ago
        You're right actually: curation is paywalled even without payment. Still, it's not enabled by default: https://imgur.com/lFY0hzp https://imgur.com/lFY0hzp
dickeytk 7y ago
Do you have a source for this "huge percentage"?
- troydavis 7y ago
  I wish I had stats, but I only have anecdotes, though a fair number of them. I’ve mentioned to 5 or 6 bloggers that their posts were behind a metered paywall and 0 of them knew or intended it. This person’s screenshot of the UX (as of Dec 2018) seems like it could be easy to misinterpret. It certainly doesn’t say anything like “Medium visitors are only able to read X free Medium articles. If your readers exceed X, they may be shown a paywall and be unable to read your post”: https://twitter.com/SachaGreif/status/1069842296844120064 https://twitter.com/SachaGreif/status/1069842296844120064
  - dickeytk 7y ago
    It's clearer now: https://imgur.com/lFY0hzp https://imgur.com/lFY0hzp

deleted 7y ago

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