1 Topic by koszko (edited by koszko 2019-08-15 19:46:01)

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Topic: I'm a robot

Increasingly many sites make tor users answer Gaggle's (thank You, ppl - I first learned this name from your posts) CAPTCHA to access stuff. It used to require nonfree js, as mentioned here. Effectively, the sites "demanded that you either (1) let them track your location or (2) run a nonfree program".

Well, the CAPTCHA usually shown to me these days seems to work without scripts. It requires one to choose images with street signs or something like that, but does so with pure HTML+CSS checkboxes.

Hooray for software freedom and privacy!

Well, turns out It's not enough to make me happy. The thing is, Gaggle uses CAPTCHA solvers to train its neural networks. Some might consider it a positive use, but some people don't like Gaggle and don't want to be hepling it.

So, for some time now (a year maybe?), I've been refusing to solve these ReCAPTCHAs so as not to provide labour to Gaggle. The thing is, it's becoming increasingly hard to browse the web, as many sites won't even let me see a simple article if I don't solve this CRAPTCHA.

What used to be:
"sites demand that you either (1) let them track your location or (2) run a nonfree program"
is now:
"sites demand that you either (1) let them track your location or (2) provide free machine-learning labour to G"

What do You all think? Any ideas?

Perhaps it would be possible to solve the audio version of CAPTCHA instead? Or are answers to it also used for something? It doesn't work without js, though. Would probably require significant amount of hacking to write own code to extract the audio.

I'm not sure "Philosophy" is the right bucket to put thic topic in, but none seemed better... I guess even some freesw enthusiasts may refuse to support my case here, given machine-learning libraries Gaggle develops (there is some Apache2.0-licensed thing)...

2 Reply by zapper (edited by zapper 2019-08-30 21:13:09)

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Re: I'm a robot

koszko wrote:

Increasingly many sites make tor users answer Gaggle's (thank You, ppl - I first learned this name from your posts) CAPTCHA to access stuff. It used to require nonfree js, as mentioned here. Effectively, the sites "demanded that you either (1) let them track your location or (2) run a nonfree program".

Well, the CAPTCHA usually shown to me these days seems to work without scripts. It requires one to choose images with street signs or something like that, but does so with pure HTML+CSS checkboxes.

Hooray for software freedom and privacy!

Well, turns out It's not enough to make me happy. The thing is, Gaggle uses CAPTCHA solvers to train its neural networks. Some might consider it a positive use, but some people don't like Gaggle and don't want to be hepling it.

So, for some time now (a year maybe?), I've been refusing to solve these ReCAPTCHAs so as not to provide labour to Gaggle. The thing is, it's becoming increasingly hard to browse the web, as many sites won't even let me see a simple article if I don't solve this CRAPTCHA.

What used to be:
"sites demand that you either (1) let them track your location or (2) run a nonfree program"
is now:
"sites demand that you either (1) let them track your location or (2) provide free machine-learning labour to G"

What do You all think? Any ideas?

Perhaps it would be possible to solve the audio version of CAPTCHA instead? Or are answers to it also used for something? It doesn't work without js, though. Would probably require significant amount of hacking to write own code to extract the audio.

I'm not sure "Philosophy" is the right bucket to put thic topic in, but none seemed better... I guess even some freesw enthusiasts may refuse to support my case here, given machine-learning libraries Gaggle develops (there is some Apache2.0-licensed thing)...

I will kill some laziness here and say, recaptcha should not only be banned from the web, but google in their wickedness should be dissolved as a corporation. Not for recaptcha or their spying, but all of the above and more.

PS, All Rights Reserved licenses should be illegal forever... especially the part where you cannot modify the hardware you owned, and send a patch to other people to help them escape the same abuse...

HyperbolaBSD: The Future of Secure Libre Lightweight Operating Systems!

3 Reply by freemedia (edited by freemedia 2019-09-07 06:47:35)

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Re: I'm a robot

i thought i clicked edit, not reply.

4 Reply by freemedia

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Re: I'm a robot

zapper wrote:

I will kill some laziness here and say, recaptcha should not only be banned from the web, but google in their wickedness should be dissolved as a corporation.

we can dissolve google for ourselves, at least. i admit they make it notably difficult. and the part where their cars are allowed to spy on us is far from ideal.

i also agree that we should ban recaptcha-- i find it ominous and it should probably be banned on humanitarian grounds, but it is too monopolistic and that by itself is reason enough.

by the way, i first thought this was a result of hyperbolas anti-bot hashsum checker, though i got it right (and my post went through as well, so no problem i guess) but it is showing up on replies (this one) as well.

Sorry! The page could not be loaded.

Could not connect to smtp host "localhost" (111) (Connection refused).

the solution is just to go back and reload the page so the reply can show up (for sake of confirmation. it is not necessary to submit the post twice.)

5 Reply by throgh

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Re: I'm a robot

I'm not into the deep regarding the error-message, but I think this has a relation to the problems with changing of the provider at last (here the concurrent news). Will create later an issue about that!

Human being in favor with clear principles and so also for freedom in soft- and hardware!

Certainly anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices: For a life of every being full with peace and kindness, including diversity and freedom. Capitalism is destroying our minds, the planet itself and the universe in the end!