Google Restricts Free Reading on Pay News Sites

Amid criticism from media companies that it unfairly profits from news content, Google is closing a loophole that allowed some motivated newshounds to read large numbers of articles on subscription-based sites without paying for them. The company’s “First Click Free” program, which publishers of pay sites can choose to participate in, is designed to allow readers to get a taste of a site’s content. For example, someone who finds a Wall Street Journal article through Google News can read it free, but if the reader tries to reach other articles from that page, he or she is asked to buy a subscription. A well-known loophole has allowed readers to return to Google News and get access to more Journal articles. In many cases, a search for the article’s headline on Google News produces a link to a free version. In a change that Google announced in a blog post on Tuesday, the company will allow publishers to limit nonsubscribers to five free articles a day.

Source: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/google-restricts-free-reading-on-pay-news-sites/?ref=technology