There is one other HUGE problem with paywalls, the one-size-fits-all nature of paywalls does not correctly access actual value (it is a cudgel instead of a scalpel).

If I consistently share content from the NYT (just an example) and my sharing results in more reads (and, as a result, more ad revenue) my value to the NYT is higher relative to passive readers but a paywall (instead of an algorithmic approach) treats both me and the passive reader the same.

Even worse, it takes whatever “good will” was motivating my social sharing and turns it into frustration and anger. Being cut off from content makes me less likely to want to support the publication that has chosen to undervalue my contributions.

The end result is lost value for the publication behind the paywall and the reason they don’t use more sophisticated solutions is probably just laziness (or at least extreme short-sightedness considering most publications are struggling to survive).