What's the mindset behind forcing a user to create an account to view the media on a page? For example an artist I like posts their art on Instagram and Twitter but I can't look at it unless I create an account. What's the dumb corporate rationale behind this? I have seen this on so many sites you can't even see what's there without an account? Doesn't it just scare users away? I know it certainly does for me. If I have to log in just to view a page I don't want to view the page.
they want to sell ur email + metadata to data analysis corps so they can sell that aggregate info + analysis to other corps (associating email/identity with specific interests for marketers etc.)