GitLab blocked the BPC repository (Bypass Paywalls Clean) which creates a browser extension for accessing subscription-based content behind paywalls. The removal was a result of a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) complaint in the United States. The developers of the add-on are now considering relocating the project to a different GIT-hosting platform. Earlier, the same add-on was removed from the Mozilla catalog for similar reasons.
The paywall method is commonly used by major English-language publications such as Forbes.com, Independent.co.uk, Newsweek.com, NewYorker.com, Nytimes.com, Wsj.com, and others to restrict access to full articles to paid subscribers only. Links to such articles are frequently shared on social media and search engines, but clicking on the link leads to a prompt to purchase a subscription to view the complete content.
The specific reasons for the blockage of the BPC repository have not been disclosed, but it appears that the project is being accused of bypassing technical access protection on copyrighted content. The issue of violating protection on BPC is contentious, as paywall sites typically allow search engines and social networks to access the full content for indexing and attracting more visitors. In many cases, simply changing the browser user agent to mimic a search engine bot like “Googlebot” is sufficient to bypass access restrictions on these sites. Some sites may also use additional measures.