New York Post Tries Hamfisted Safari Browser Block To Try To Sell More iPad Apps

from the good-luck-with-that dept

Tue, Jun 21st 2011 5:18am — Mike Masnick

DannyB points us to the news that apparently the folks at the NY Post are still figuring out how this web thing works. As there's been a lot more attention paid to things like apps, they put together a fee-based NY Post app. I have no idea if it's any good, but somewhere along the line, it appears that someone at the Post realized that people could bypass the app by simply visiting the NYPost website via the browser on the iPad. Rather than think that perhaps they should focus on making the app more valuable and worth paying for, the geniuses went a different direction and decided to block access to anyone arriving at the NYPost.com domain via a Safari browser on an iOS device. Will this make people buy the app? Probably not. It might encourage them to go to competing sites, however. Even more ridiculous is that apparently no one at the Post realized that there are other browsers: you can still get to the site via alternatives like Opera and Skyfire.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: apps, ipad, ny post, paywalls, safari
Companies: news corp.

17 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

xenomancer (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:01am

I'm still waiting for Apple to try to trademark iBrowse...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
A.R.M. (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:23am

Mike Masnick
Famous for the term "Streisand Effect" and giving the NY Post new (bad) ideas.

I give it a few more hours before they realize there are other browsers to lock out as well.

Sorry, Mike. Had to poke a little fun at your expense because I laughed at the statement of other browsers while claiming the NY Post "still needs to figure out the internet".
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Thomas (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:00am

Typical..
Shows that newspapers simply don't understand that in order to get people to pay for something it has to be better than what you can get for free.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Owen Vinni, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:00am

Pointless
Not that i would view the site, but i can access it on my ipad by using another browser such as Atomic Web which can change how servers view it, lol
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:06am

This is hilarious! Doesn't safari have some sort of option or add-on that changes the reported user agent? It's probably THAT easy to circumvent.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
known coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:17am

why not give them all the blocks while you are at it.
" Even more ridiculous is that apparently no one at the Post realized that there are other browsers: you can still get to the site via alternatives like Opera and Skyfire."

jesus mary and joseph ! Now you go and tell them ? I realize it is the new york post, but they can read. thanks

sheesh.
KC
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Chris Hoeschen (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:27am

Easy to circumvent
Simply turn off Javascript for Safari and you can access the site.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:28am

This is Apple
This is Apple. I would not be surprised if you had to root the iPad just to change the User-Agent.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:29am

Apple sheep are willing to pay a steep price for a little logo and a walled garden. They won't mind paying a piddly price for the NY Post App.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
tom, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:41am

1st visit to NYP
i was wandering round the NYP just now - ubuntu/OPera - and wasn't asked for any money.
But i was a bit surprised to see, in the US/World News section, 'Dead end for Peter Parker' as the third top world news story. But then perhaps the BBC would have a Dr Who story on the front page? Perhaps.
NYP -what an awful looking site!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 7:35am

The NY Times should probably look into hiring a consultant to double-check their site's security. If their current admin thinks that javascript is how you block someone from accessing your site with a particular browser/OS, they're probably swimming in security holes.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 8:33am

genuis indeed

why would you even look for a browser and not the OS itself or even the device via the headers.

that way when they make their android app ... muwhahaha
[ link to this | view in thread ]
DannyB (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 8:35am

Re:
I think that is exactly that the NY Post is thinking.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 22 Jun 2011 @ 2:49am

change the User-Agent
Just change the User-Agent by using 'Modify Headers' or 'User Agent Switcher' addons for Firefox.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Q�r Tharkasd�ttir, 22 Jun 2011 @ 6:32am

If you have to use Safari, activate the Developper menu in the prefs, and select another user agent. iCab accesses it fine too. But the main point, IMHO, is: why would anyone care/bother to read the NYP�???
[ link to this | view in thread ]
dwg, 22 Jun 2011 @ 9:39am

I need some context...
What is the "New York Post?" I've seen something with that name, but this article seems to be referring to a newspaper, and the New York Post I've seen is nothing like a newspaper.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
John, 25 Jun 2011 @ 2:28pm

Re: Easy to circumvent
That's the ticket. It worked. I'm back on the post. Thank you
[ link to this | view in thread ]