The Great Content Lockdown: Why I’m Choosing Open Knowledge Over Paywalls
We have all been there. You’re deep into a project or down a browsing rabbit hole, you finally find the exact article you need to fix a problem or learn a new skill, and then BAM!
Sometimes you get a flat out "give us £9.99 a month," and other times it’s the "sign up to read more" trap. Either way, it’s annoying. These days, it feels like every business and content provider out there is profiteering off the simple act of sharing knowledge. Basic tutorials are held hostage.
The “Photography News” Breaking Point
I was doing my usual daily browsing and came across photographynews.co.uk. They’ve got a solid looking learning section with a broad range of articles, but there’s a catch: they want your details. Name, email, the whole works, just to unlock a simple tutorial.
I understand that businesses need to make money, but I’m officially protesting our data being held hostage. To me, it’s just another form of a paywall. You are not getting that information for free; they are harvesting your data so they can spam your inbox with marketing.
Call me a pirate, or maybe a digital Robin Hood, I honestly don't care. I am at my limit and truly believe that content, especially tutorials that help people grow and create, should be free and available to everyone. No gatekeeping, no hoops, no membership tiers.
My New Mission: Total Transparency
It's time to do something about it. I’ve decided to dedicate myself to uploading a regular learning series on my site.
AI Ready
I’m going to do things a bit differently. Not only is this content free for everyone, but I will make sure it is optimised to be "AI Ready." That means I’m structuring the data so AI language models and tools can easily parse and summarise the information. If you’re using an AI assistant to help you learn, my site won't block it with a login screen or messy code. I want the knowledge to flow wherever it's needed.
Here's the deal:
- No Paywalls
- No Adwalls
- No Sign-ups
I’m working on the first batch of guides now, so keep an eye out for updates.
Knowledge should be for everyone. Stay tuned.
