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Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

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Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#611
post #43

Lately I've been getting reCAPTCHA prompts all the time even though I'm not browsing in incognito mode and haven't cleared cookies. All I'm doing is running a very basic ad blocker, using Safari (which blocks third-party tracking), and very rarely loading a Google site. The most interaction I have with Google is when I end up having to use my corporate Google account as SSO for some other site. Given that I'm not doi…

Technically it's a good strategy. It would be much more complex for bots to leave a trail consistent with that of a real user. Some financial and government benefit web sites query web trackers as an extra factor in the enrollment process.

Using a verified human Google history to allow people who would otherwise be flagged as potentially a bot to skip the CAPTCHA is justifiable. Setting up your reCAPTCHA such that the lack of a verified Google history is used as a "probably bot" signal is really quite awful.

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#612
post #579

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just like the ACLU. Free speech is very important. If someone has something objectionable to say, let them expose themselves. Censorship solves nothing.

Just look at how state-backed censorship laws have turned Germany and Canada into totalitarian hellholes. Yeah, right. HN stans for white supremacy because it's mostly white and extremely online and never gets out to see the results of "give everyone a soapbox" on the streets where the proud boys are out there beating the shit out of people. You people are cowards, and nothing more. There's no bravery here, no princi…

I think you're doing a great job demonstrating why allowing people to expose their horrible ideas does more to dissuade other people than censorship. I'm glad your replies are on display even if I strongly disagree with them.

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#613
post #594

I’ve had a number of reCAPTCHA incidents where I could not pass the test for tens of images, it was a very frustrating experience. Please do not use reCAPTCHA. The items one is supposed to select often overlap the grids, so it becomes a kind of Keynesian Beauty Contest[1] at that point; I assume they validate based on how much in alignment you are with previous answers, so it becomes a problem of “What nearby grids w…

reCAPTCHA is horrible. I am almost certain that some tests are intentionally marked as failed even if they are correct, simply so they can get more training in. And if you take any anonymizing measures, reCAPTCHA makes much of the web nigh impossible to use. It's easily the worst UX I encounter online. I can't describe the relief I feel when I come across a "normal" CAPTCHA. It's coming to the point that if I could p…

The tests are often poorly defined. I've been caught in reCAPTCHA hell a few times (but not recently), and it's often the case that I'm guessing... is this a bus? I'm not sure.

It's interesting to find out that this might have nothing to do with my ability or inability to recognize objects in blurry photos.

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#614

At SerpApi.com, we built a bot to check these boxes and an AI to solve the actual CAPTCHA. Checking the box is actually not that hard. There is no advanced measurements of your mouse and touch speed. This is an Internet myth. It's more a game of cookies, making them age well, and having an organic set of headers.

Aren’t you afraid of being sued by Google for selling their search results?

My first thought as well, looks like the business is 100% based on breaking TOS.

From their site: Is scraping legal? In the United States, scraping public resources falls under the Fair Use doctrine, and is protected by the First Amendment. See the LinkedIn Vs. hiQ scraper ruling for more information. This does not constitute legal advice, and you should seek the counsel of an attorney on your specific matter to comply with the laws in your jurisdiction.

ROFL, I guess if you are able to ignore the layers of other issues TOS, breaking of technology to specifically exclude your use case, etc and are only willing to apply some very tangential case law against your reasoning it is "legal".

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#615
post #563

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nonono, disabled people might be barred from using a service because of excessive recaptcha. That's what he means. I also think he really meant CVAA rather than ADA though.

Looks like they provide an appropriate alternative for people with vision disabilities: https://support.google.com/recaptcha/answer/6175971?hl=en That only really leaves blind deaf people out, at which point we might be reaching the limits of any technology to provide access to everyone without a tooooon of work.

As someone already pointed out in another reply, you don't get this option if you score low enough.

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#616
post #43

Lately I've been getting reCAPTCHA prompts all the time even though I'm not browsing in incognito mode and haven't cleared cookies. All I'm doing is running a very basic ad blocker, using Safari (which blocks third-party tracking), and very rarely loading a Google site. The most interaction I have with Google is when I end up having to use my corporate Google account as SSO for some other site. Given that I'm not doi…

I have noticed this too. I've switched to DuckDuckGo for everything and I haven't changed my habits. Started getting more captchas a couple weeks ago and I know I answered several of them correctly (I'd get tested 3 times in a row). Possible fingerprinting?

It is also plausible that because google analytics runs on so many sites that they could do something shady like put you in a pester segment if they see you coming from duckduckgo to other sites frequently. It is not hard to imaging using Recaptcha as a nuisance against other search traffic providers.

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#617
post #594

I’ve had a number of reCAPTCHA incidents where I could not pass the test for tens of images, it was a very frustrating experience. Please do not use reCAPTCHA. The items one is supposed to select often overlap the grids, so it becomes a kind of Keynesian Beauty Contest[1] at that point; I assume they validate based on how much in alignment you are with previous answers, so it becomes a problem of “What nearby grids w…

You’re overthinking it. I have had a similar experience. The worst were the “stop light” questions. Does it mean the pole, the light, the tiny corner overlapping another square? I used to try to include everything as it was technically true. Very frustrating – until I finally started to not care. Click on the most obvious pictures. Click click click. Done. Get it wrong? Click click click on the next one. Way faster w…

"Store front" always makes me squint at garages, driveways, sidewalks and front doors.

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#618

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have noticed this too. I've switched to DuckDuckGo for everything and I haven't changed my habits. Started getting more captchas a couple weeks ago and I know I answered several of them correctly (I'd get tested 3 times in a row). Possible fingerprinting?

It is also plausible that because google analytics runs on so many sites that they could do something shady like put you in a pester segment if they see you coming from duckduckgo to other sites frequently. It is not hard to imaging using Recaptcha as a nuisance against other search traffic providers.

I doubt that many people would make a connection between their search engine and seeing captchas on other sites. So limited gain for, if anything, many unnecessary complaints.

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#619
post #43

Lately I've been getting reCAPTCHA prompts all the time even though I'm not browsing in incognito mode and haven't cleared cookies. All I'm doing is running a very basic ad blocker, using Safari (which blocks third-party tracking), and very rarely loading a Google site. The most interaction I have with Google is when I end up having to use my corporate Google account as SSO for some other site. Given that I'm not doi…

Anecdotally, I've gotten way more reCAPTCHA prompts since disabling third-party cookies and installing Cookie AutoDelete, so I suspect you are correct.

Same here.

Re: Why can’t a bot tick the 'I'm not a robot' box?

#620
post #563

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looks like they provide an appropriate alternative for people with vision disabilities: https://support.google.com/recaptcha/answer/6175971?hl=en That only really leaves blind deaf people out, at which point we might be reaching the limits of any technology to provide access to everyone without a tooooon of work.

As someone already pointed out in another reply, you don't get this option if you score low enough.

Yeah but most people won't trigger that. Seems like most of the complaints here about triggering it often are from people who are blocking js/cookies/randomizing user strings. The NoCaptcha check box itself is better than the old system where everyone had to do the Captcha at least.
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