An exported cookies.txt lets yt-dlp list and fetch gated posts. It puts an authenticated session on the server, which was the owner's decision to make. It is the fix for the cause; the count checks only measure the gap.
Authenticated Cookie Jar for Gated Posts
Vault note, not reviewed against the source. Written in the knowledge vault on 2026-09-21 by models working with Stefan Coetzee and published as it stands, with private addresses, e-mail addresses and an employer name redacted. Check claims against the primary source before relying on them.