The authors argue that requiring an email address to read their articles has stopped their content from being scraped and repurposed by AI, and will help them bypass Google's search algorithm, which they believe is being flooded with low-quality, AI-generated content. They also emphasize their commitment to human-created journalism and their refusal to play the SEO game or rely on ad revenues. They believe that requiring email addresses makes their journalism and company more economically viable, allowing them to continue their work.
Key takeaways:
- 404 Media has started requiring readers to sign up with email addresses to read most of the articles on their website. This move is aimed at selling their journalism directly to readers and combating the challenges posed by social media fragmentation, AI-generated spam, and a declining media business environment.
- The company was launched in August 2023 without any external funding. It relies on a mix of paid reader subscriptions, advertising, and multimedia projects for revenue. Despite the challenges, the company reports that it is not going anywhere soon and feels energized by the support of its subscribers and readers.
- 404 Media has noticed that their articles are being scraped by bots, run through an AI article “spinner” or paraphraser, and republished on random websites. This has led to a decision to become more aggressive about asking readers for their email addresses to prevent their content from being repurposed by AI and to reach their readers directly.
- The company is made up of four human tech journalists who formerly worked at VICE’s Motherboard. They are committed to producing impactful journalism and are trying to strike a balance where they can monetize their work in a way that allows them to continue doing what they do.