"Passwords get hacked all the time, but they can't be hacked if they don't exist...this allows a small team like 404 to spend less time managing security administration, and more time investing in bringing you stories you care about."
"This is really useful for small publishers who have no business wanting to store a whole bunch of random passwords. Lots of people have poor password hygiene and reuse passwords across all kinds of sites; small publishers would have to invest significant time and resources to maintain security infrastructure."
News outlets, particularly small publishers and independent newsletters, increasingly use email-based login systems with one-time passcodes or magic links instead of traditional passwords. Platforms like Ghost offer only email authentication, while others like Substack and Beehiiv provide it as an option. This shift benefits publishers by eliminating password storage and security infrastructure management, allowing small teams to focus resources on content rather than security administration. However, this creates inconvenience for users who cannot easily share subscriptions, similar to streaming service password-sharing restrictions. The approach addresses legitimate security concerns, as passwords are frequently compromised, while reducing the technical and financial burden on publishers with limited resources.
Read at Nieman Lab
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