dhuleshwarfabcoats.com

# Unlocking Access: How to View Member-Only Articles on Medium

Written on

Chapter 1: Understanding Locked Articles

Recently, I discovered what a locked article on Medium is. After some research, I found out that these stories are exclusively available to paying members. I created a piece on my smartphone titled:

"Evolution Is Not Random — It Has a Feedback Loop" This article discusses the intricacies of evolution and challenges the notion that complexity necessitates a designer.

When I checked on my story, I noticed it was gaining traction, which was exciting. However, it lacked the yellow asterisk that signifies it's a member-only piece. I attempted to enable this feature using my computer but couldn't locate the relevant settings. After multiple attempts in the story settings, I realized that Medium had recently updated its layout, likely to encourage more subscriptions. So where had this feature gone?

Navigating Medium's settings

Chapter 2: Adjusting Your Paywall Settings

To find the editing options for my story, I discovered that clicking the three dots next to my profile picture was essential.

Accessing story settings on Medium

Within this menu, the fifth option labeled "Manage Paywall Setting" allows you to enable the paywall for your article. Once I clicked on it, a notification popped up indicating that my story was now locked. This left me wondering if further edits were possible and if other users would be able to view my content. Frustration began to build as I pondered these changes.

While grappling with these thoughts, I began browsing various articles on Google related to locked Medium content. I stumbled upon a popular article that outlined methods for bypassing Medium's restrictions on viewing a limited number of articles each month. The author provided several techniques for accessing locked content but concluded by encouraging readers to subscribe to Medium for ethical reasons.

In my opinion, Medium should consider removing such articles. Additionally, I believe that the publication Illumination should face some consequences for promoting ways to circumvent Medium's paywall. Medium's goal is to foster well-researched articles that enrich readers; publishing guides on how to hack the platform contradicts this mission.

ILLUMINATION We curate and share exceptional articles across various fields to foster innovation and collaboration.

Illumination's stated objectives are commendable, yet an article focused on exploiting Medium's system certainly does not align with their mission. I express my disappointment in Illumination for publishing this content. Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts.