A pop-up stops you, your screen stalls, and a warning hints you look like a script. You just wanted today’s headlines.
Readers across the UK report fresh hurdles when visiting big-name news sites, as publishers tighten defences against automated scraping and data mining that strip value from their journalism. You can still get through, but you may need to prove you’re human first.
Why you’re seeing a “prove you’re real” prompt
Publishers now run layers of bot detection. These systems watch how quickly you scroll, how your browser behaves, and whether scripts run as expected. They also check IP ranges used by VPNs, cloud servers, or corporate gateways. If your activity looks machine-like, you face a challenge.
News Group Newspapers says it bans automated access, collection, or text/data mining of its content, including for AI, machine learning, or LLMs, under its terms and conditions.
That policy targets bots and bulk harvesters. It also sweeps up false alarms. A legitimate reader can trip the same wires after a software update, a misconfigured extension, or a fast series of clicks.
If you’re a genuine user who’s been blocked on The Sun’s site, support directs you to [email protected]. For licensed commercial use, requests go to [email protected].
Seven quick checks that get most readers back in
These steps usually clear a false positive. Work down the list and refresh the page after each change.
- Enable JavaScript and cookies: bot filters rely on them. If you disabled either, turn them back on.
- Pause aggressive content blockers: temporarily disable extensions that block trackers, scripts, or ads, then reload.
- Drop the VPN or proxy: switch to a standard home or mobile connection. Cloud or exit-node IPs trigger flags.
- Close automation tools: turn off headless browsers, scraping add-ons, or “reader mode” that strips scripts.
- Accept the consent banner: click through the cookie prompt; lingering in limbo sometimes looks suspicious.
- Slow your scroll: rapid, jittery scrolling patterns resemble scripted behaviour. Scroll, pause, and click normally.
- Restart the session: clear site data for the domain, open a new tab, and try again within five minutes.
If the block remains, take a screenshot of the error and note the time, your browser version, and whether you use a VPN. That detail speeds up support.
What the publisher forbids—and what still counts as fair use
News Group Newspapers Limited states that automated access to its content is not allowed, whether direct or through third-party tools. That includes scraping for training AI models or running large-scale data mining projects without a licence.
Readers can still navigate by hand, read articles, and share links. You cross the line when you deploy scripts to fetch pages in bulk, copy entire sections, or repurpose content for machine learning pipelines.
Where to ask for permission
Some organisations need legitimate bulk access: think media monitoring firms, fact-checkers, or research labs. These users can request licensed use by writing to [email protected] with details of volume, frequency, storage, and safeguards.
If you’re an individual and a prompt blocks you in error, email [email protected] from the address tied to your subscription or account, if you have one. Include the URL, the exact error text, and the troubleshooting steps you tried.
Why false positives happen
Defensive tech errs on the side of caution. Several common scenarios trigger a tripwire.
- VPN exit nodes: dozens of users share one IP, so traffic looks like a botnet.
- Enterprise gateways: corporate networks funnel staff through a single egress, which mimics automation.
- Hardened privacy profiles: blocking device fingerprints and web APIs hides signals that systems expect from normal browsers.
- Rapid-fire navigation: opening multiple tabs, loading pages in quick bursts, or auto-refreshing mirrors scripted fetches.
- Misbehaving extensions: a single extension that injects or strips code can break page checksums.
Most blocks lift once you restore a standard browser profile, switch to a local network, or accept site scripts and cookies for that session.
What verification looks like now
You might see a one-line challenge, a CAPTCHA, or a silent check that runs in the background. Each approach balances friction and privacy in different ways.
| Method | Friction for you | Data handled | Best use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioural checks | Low | Mouse, scroll, timing signals | Quick screening of casual traffic |
| JavaScript challenges | Low to medium | Browser features and execution | Filtering headless or script-heavy sessions |
| CAPTCHA | Medium | Interaction with puzzles | Stopping basic bots without heavy code |
| Account sign-in | Medium to high | Email, device, cookie ties | Protecting premium content and personalisation |
What this means for readers and AI builders
For day-to-day readers, nothing changes once you pass the check. You can keep your ad blocker if you wish, though you may hit more gates. If you value fewer prompts, run a clean profile for news: allow site scripts, keep one VPN off switch, and avoid rapid-fire tabbing during a visit.
For AI teams, the direction is clear: unlicensed scraping risks legal claims, IP blocks, and reputational damage. If you need text at scale, budget for licences and draft a governance plan that covers retention, deletion, and redistribution. Keep a record of sources, crawl rates, and extraction methods, and be ready to throttle or stop on request.
When to contact support—and what to send
Send a message if access fails after the seven checks or if a challenge repeats on every page. Write to [email protected] with:
- Your device and browser version.
- Whether you use a VPN or privacy extensions.
- The exact error text and the time it appeared.
- A screenshot of the message.
For commercial or research crawls, prepare a short plan and email [email protected]. Specify daily page volumes, storage duration, sharing rules, and a contact for takedown requests. Expect rate limits, licence fees, and technical constraints to protect performance for regular readers.
Extra context that helps you stay unblocked
Test a clean profile
Create a separate browser profile named News. Leave JavaScript on, keep default privacy settings, and add no extensions. Use it only for reputable news sites. This reduces noise and helps you isolate the cause when a block appears.
Mind your network footprint
Mobile data can bypass noisy home networks. If a Wi‑Fi router shares an IP with heavy streaming or smart devices, swap to 4G/5G for a quick read, then switch back.
Know the limits on automation
Small personal tools, like a single-page reader that fetches one article for offline reading, still risk a block if they break site rules. Manual reading stays safest. If you maintain a research script, throttle it, obey robots rules, and seek permission early.
Followed the seven checks: turned JavaScript back on, paused the blocker, dropped the VPN—boom, page loads. This is definately the clearest guide I’ve seen, thanks.
So the site watches scroll speed and mouse timings? That feels intrusive. Where’s the data retention policy, and can we opt out without being treated like bots?