Show HN: Auto-identity-remove – Automated data broker opt-out runner for macOS

Post by repelsteeltje » Mon, May 18, 2026, 2:27 PM UTC

heroh wrote: post #95

jeroenhd wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It depends on the CAPTCHA, but there's a reason why Apple, Cloudflare, and Google are shifting towards remote attestation for proof-of-humanity. The reCAPTCHA v3 Enterprise version and MtCaptcha cost a whopping 3x as much ($3 per 1000 solves). Seems like they're the best CAPTCHAs to go for.

recaptcha v3 will require the human to have a Google certified android device (i.e. no GrapheneOS or LineageOS etc.) and a dedicated iOS app which leaks device ID and other data. Google will get to know every user browsing the web and link it to a smartphone. Since they’re rolling out government issue ID verification at the OS level, this change will allow Google to identify a random web visitor to a govt ID. https:/…

Post by repelsteeltje » Mon, May 18, 2026, 2:30 PM UTC

gruez wrote: post #101

brookst wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More info on how an iOS app can leak device ID? I thought Apple did away with access to device IDs and only provides a per-developer ID.

The "device ID" part is probably false and a red herring. What actually matters is that google can correlate which challenges a given device is solving, so if it's solving 10k challenges per day, it can be marked as being suspicious.

Post by hmokiguess » Mon, May 18, 2026, 2:31 PM UTC

lacewing wrote: post #106

hmokiguess wrote: post #104

I always get paranoid about these things ever since the Streisand Effect became a thing, I feel like the outcome is you enter a second list and this second list is maybe less friendly as it turns you into an outlier which brings other kinds of problems It feels like the system is rigged and we need a better answer

No, the system is rigged in a different way. There is an actual data broker industry that's mostly hidden from view; and then there are hundreds upon hundreds of ephemeral "look up your neighbor" websites that you know about and end up submitting opt outs to, only for half of these websites to disappear and a new crop to show up in a year or two.

Post by gruez » Mon, May 18, 2026, 2:33 PM UTC

repelsteeltje wrote: post #113

gruez wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "device ID" part is probably false and a red herring. What actually matters is that google can correlate which challenges a given device is solving, so if it's solving 10k challenges per day, it can be marked as being suspicious.

Sounds pretty much like they're identify the device, then. Or is "device id" Apple lingo for a specific tech?

Post by bradleyy » Mon, May 18, 2026, 2:36 PM UTC

rib3ye wrote: post #75

At least in California, the DROP form is scheduled to come online this fall.