Scroll was a subscription-based web service developed by Scroll Labs Inc., offering ad-free access to websites in exchange for a fee.[1] Scroll was not an ad blocker; instead, it partnered directly with internet publishers who voluntarily removed ads from their sites for Scroll users in exchange for a portion of the subscription fee.[2]
In May 2021, Scroll was acquired by Twitter.[3] In October 2021, Scroll sent out an email announcing its integration into Twitter Blue within 30 days.[4]
Functionality
Scroll enabled users to browse websites that partnered with Scroll without encountering online advertising, in exchange for a subscription fee. Unlike ad blocker, which disable advertisements without compensating the publisher, Scroll sent a browser cookie indicating that the user was a subscriber. The Scroll software integrated into the website detected this cookie and served an ad-free version of the site.[5][6][7] In exchange for disabling advertisements, partner websites received a portion of the subscription fee. As of January 2020, Scroll retained 30% of the subscription fee, with the remaining 70% distributed among publisher sites.[8] Payments to sites were made individually by users based on their 'engagement and loyalty,' rather than from a single pool of all subscription revenue.[9] Scroll did not grant subscribers access to partner sites behind a paywall; it only removed ads from the site if the user also paid the publication's subscription fee.[10]
History
Scroll was founded in 2016 by former Chartbeat Chief Executive Tony Haile.[10] Scroll raised US$3 million in its first round of funding in 2016, including investments from The New York Times, Uncork Capital, and Axel Springer SE.[6] By October 2018, Scroll had raised US$10 million in funding.[6] In 2018, Scroll signed its first partner websites, which included The Atlantic, Fusion Media Group, Business Insider, Slate, MSNBC, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Talking Points Memo.[11][10] In February 2019, Scroll acquired the social media curation app Nuzzel.[12][13] The same month, Mozilla and Scroll announced a partnership to run a "test pilot" together, but did not go into details.[14] Scroll entered beta testing in 2019 and launched to the general public on January 28, 2020.[8]
In March 2020, Mozilla started offering Scroll as part of its "Firefox Better Web" service bundle.[12][15]
In May 2021, Scroll was acquired by Twitter, with the future of Scroll cited as being uncertain.[3] An email to customers announcing the change said, "Later this year, Scroll will become part of a wider Twitter subscription that will expand on and adapt our services and functionality".
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