Excellent article and you make some good points, but I am not able to agree with this:

“A world that is filled with free content is a world that is increasingly filled with shoddy content.”

Actually the web was built on great, free content. Personal websites, scientific research, open source software and of course Wikipedia. I don’t presume to have all the answers as to why “fake news” has become a problem, but it’s not as simple as free vs. paid. The increasing power of social media and “free” commercial content are probably factors though.

There’s a big difference between different types of “free” content. There’s “free” content that individuals or organisations contribute for the greater good, “free” content supported by additional advertising and “free” content that is actually an advert (e.g. political fake news) that somebody has paid for you to read (perhaps to support a “free” social network).

As Jamatto seems to be in the business of micropayments, I will focus on how traditional commercial content, such as newspapers and journels, is funded. Unfortunately, web advertising is broken — the ads are just way too intrusive. I can tolerate around 99% of print adverts and around 1% of web ads. I simply will not view them. If I can block them, I will, and if I can’t, I will look to another news source because here’s another fact publishers won’t like: there is a glut of content. Even good quality, honest content. Don’t like one site (because of ad blocking or anything else?) — I can find another five, or 10, or 100 (depends on the subject).

I’m really happy that I stumbled upon Jamatto, and first impressions you made it frictionless to get started. I’m also happy with my first experience of Google Contributor. In time, I also hope to see something like a Spotify model so that I don’t need to sign up to a dozen different micropayment services. Or, if flat rate isn’t an option, then at least each publisher needs to support a few such services so that there’s no lock-in.

For now I am supporting any micropayment service I come across. If people prefer to pay by watching flashing ads that’s their choice, but it’s only a “choice” when a viable alternative exists. Thanks!