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0 pointsmitchty6y ago0 comments

> The problem with recaptcha alternatives is that they either are insecure or require time and money to continue to be ahead of bots.

Sure great, but when I see behavior like the above, I just hit back and add the site to my routers firewall black list. If its this much of a PITA to "solve" a captcha, CORRECTLY but I keep getting the middle finger I don't give a crap anymore. Your site isn't worth going to if I have to spend literally minutes "solving" captchas for googles stupid ai which is treating me like prove i'm a bot even when I prove i'm not.

Just realize by using recaptcha this is what you're forcing some users to deal with. And I deal with it by making sure I never come back to your site ever again when you've wasted minutes of my time just to try to get to your page. Even if its googles fault for being jerks, I don't care. You choose to implement it.

Ok rant mode off and stepping off my personal soap box.

0 comments

reaperducer6y ago

Your site isn't worth going to if I have to spend literally minutes "solving" captchas for googles stupid ai which is treating me like prove i'm a bot even when I prove i'm not.

I've run into state and local tax agencies, utility companies, and large healthcare companies that require Google's reCAPTCHA. So, unless you don't want healthcare, to have water service at your home, or you're in the mood to just shut down your business, you have to suck it up.

robin_reala6y ago

UK Gov doesn’t allow CAPTCHAs on central gov services: https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/technology/using-captchas

doomglobe6y ago

They can still use them if they meet certain criteria, and show that they 'need' them. The overuse probably comes from the incentive - Google is incentivized to encourage the use of captcha because it is curating a data collection for ai training. I imagine some of the 'gaslighting' that people experience is when they are given images that don't yet have a confidence rating high enough. I wonder if answering incorrectly often enough would result in being asked fewer questions?

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autoexec6y ago

I've even seen state and government sites using Google's reCAPTCHA. People shouldn't be required to hand over their browsing history and other information to Google for essential services, especially to use government websites.

piyush_soni6y ago

Thankfully, Indian government websites still use their own captchas - which though not as 'secure', works for most of the cases, and don't take minutes to solve.

p2t2p6y ago

It this case they get to deal with me offline. Like I'm using a credit card right now without internet banking. They send me letters, on paper, with how much I owe them and then I pay. All because registering for their internet banking was a crazy shitty experience that I abandoned.

steelframe6y ago

I default to paper mail with things like written checks for that sort of thing. Never had a problem.

piyush_soni6y ago

Of course if it's an essential service like healthcare, formal education, paying bills etc. people will be forced to use it (if there's no option to change that service itself). But for that fancy startup showing some content for to consume when it's not necessary, I will just close that website.

modzu6y ago

i say the same thing to my friend in a wheelchair -- "suck it up handycapper and pull yourself up the stairs".

there was a time not long ago before wheelchair ramps or accessible doors were commonplace. these people were literally shut out of society.

its the same with captcha forcing privacy-conscious users off the internet.

drusepth6y ago

Uh, using a wheelchair vs walking is a lot less of a personal choice than using Firefox vs Chrome.

Or: people who need a wheelchair are protected by anti-discriminatory laws, while people who prefer not to use Google products aren't.

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reaperducer6y ago

Your site isn't worth going to if I have to spend literally minutes "solving" captchas for googles stupid ai which is treating me like prove i'm a bot even when I prove i'm not.

robin_reala6y ago

UK Gov doesn’t allow CAPTCHAs on central gov services: https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/technology/using-captchas

doomglobe6y ago

3 more replies

autoexec6y ago

piyush_soni6y ago

Thankfully, Indian government websites still use their own captchas - which though not as 'secure', works for most of the cases, and don't take minutes to solve.

p2t2p6y ago

steelframe6y ago

I default to paper mail with things like written checks for that sort of thing. Never had a problem.

piyush_soni6y ago

modzu6y ago

i say the same thing to my friend in a wheelchair -- "suck it up handycapper and pull yourself up the stairs".

there was a time not long ago before wheelchair ramps or accessible doors were commonplace. these people were literally shut out of society.

its the same with captcha forcing privacy-conscious users off the internet.

drusepth6y ago

Uh, using a wheelchair vs walking is a lot less of a personal choice than using Firefox vs Chrome.

Or: people who need a wheelchair are protected by anti-discriminatory laws, while people who prefer not to use Google products aren't.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse