[est31]

Yeah if you pay then they'll have strong identities linked to the accounts in addition to the tracking. Free services that can be accessed without a log in on the other hand have to correlate all the data. They are quite good at it, but not perfect.

[jhrmnn]

That’s not different from pre-Internet era, though. Subscriptions were never anonymous.

[est31]

Of course, the fact that you were subscribed was known to them, but which articles you read in your paper copy of the new york times they didn't know, unless you specifically told them. Nowadays the Reddit redesign tracks your mouse movements, Netflix when you pause a video, and Amazon which page of the book you are reading. I don't want any of this tracking for myself. I have no problem with people opting in, but don't make this tracking inescapable.

A tracking free format would involve in you downloading the entire newspaper issue, then reading inside in ways of your own choosing.