Mistaken for a Bot: How to Regain Access to Your Favorite Websites

What to do when you're mistakenly identified as a crawler bot and blocked by a website. Follow these troubleshooting steps to regain access.
Mistaken for a Bot: How to Regain Access to Your Favorite Websites
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Blocked by the System: What to Do When You’re Mistaken for a Crawler Bot

Are you tired of being mistaken for a crawler bot and blocked by websites? You’re not alone. News Corp Australia, like many other online publications, uses software to manage crawler bot traffic on their websites. But what happens when you’re a legitimate user who’s been mistakenly identified as a bot?

Understanding the Issue

When you’re blocked, you’ll receive a message stating that you’ve been detected as a crawler bot. This can be frustrating, especially if you’re just trying to access your favorite news website. But don’t worry, there are steps you can take to resolve the issue.

Troubleshooting Steps

Before you reach out to the website’s support team, try the following:

  • Temporarily disable any AdBlockers, pop-up blockers, or script blockers you have enabled.
  • Add the website to the allowed list for any AdBlockers, pop-up blockers, or script blockers you have enabled.
  • Ensure your browser supports JavaScript by checking here in your browser.
  • Ensure you’re using the latest version of your web browser.

Getting Unblocked

If you’ve tried the above steps and still need to be unlocked as a reader, subscriber, or crawler bot, you can e-mail the website’s support team at accessissues@news.com.au. Be sure to provide your IP address and reference number, along with a brief explanation of why you require access.

Image: A representation of a bot detection system

Conclusion

Being mistakenly identified as a crawler bot can be frustrating, but it’s a necessary measure to protect websites from malicious traffic. By following the troubleshooting steps outlined above, you should be able to regain access to your favorite websites. Remember to stay patient and cooperative, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the website’s support team if you need further assistance.

Image: A representation of website security measures