Website Security.

[An OtherParticipant @another21905]

I use Privacy Badger in Firefox (Linux) to prevent online trackers following me – there are at least 4 active trackers using the new ME site.

However, after finding that I could not log in to the ME site, because the log-in process required use of a Recaptcha input, and this did not appear on my screen. Eventually, I traced it to the Privacy Badger add-on blocking the Recaptcha input.

I can disable Privacy Badger, so the Recaptcha works, and then I can log in successfully.

But I now have another problem: by disabling Privacy Badger, I have allowed the 4 trackers to tack my data.

A work-around is to disable Privacy Badger, log-in, then re-enable Privacy Badger. I don’t know if this stops the trackers.

the Recaptcha system is coming under fire in some quarters because it is so cumbersome. Somewhere in the forums it is noted that it is used to prevent spam and bots using the ME site – but users are exposed to trackers, so we have to put up with targeted adds and other nasties.

So my question is: What use is Recaptcha on this site?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

As I am sure you are aware [although others may not be], Recaptcha is a Google product: https://developers.google.com/recaptcha

… and Google itself does a lot of tracking.

So, who can we trust ?

MichaelG.

.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quis_custodiet_ipsos_custodes%3F#:~:text=Quis%20custodiet%20ipsos%20custodes%3F%20is,will%20watch%20the%20watchmen%3F%22.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I can see why folks find ReCaptcha a pain, and so do I, but it may be better than alternatives.
Unfortunately, mainly since Covid, I’ve spent more time on forums than in the workshop.
One of those was my local city forum, which underwent a similar update to this one, though the new version used one of the commercial forum software packages.

Somehow, bots occasionally get in, often evading the new member sign-up somehow (which doesn’t have a visual checker like ReCaptcha)

It’s regular, though rare(ish) to log on and find up to 10 spam posts on each topic, so 100+; some are just spam, others phishing for personal data, and others deep linking to extreme porn sites.
There’s only one active mod, and it might take at least half a day before she is able to deal with the issues

As an aside, I occasionally find some of the advertising tracking quite useful; I’m able to wear blinkers most of the time and ignore advertising, targeted or otherwise, as well as using ad-blockers.
If for example I’m looking to buy some more interesting coffee beans, I just search once on Facebook, and then read the ensuing list of special offers from a variety of retailers, specially targeted for me; it saves lots of time searching through my regular suppliers.

Bill

[An OtherParticipant @another21905]

One of the trackers blocked by reCaptcha (owned by Google as pointed out by Gilligan) is http://www.googletagmanager.com. Adjusting the sliders in Privacy Badger is, at best a very temporary solution – new trackers are not caught, and they change frequently.

A far better solution would be to replace the Google-owned reCaptcha.

[An OtherParticipant @another21905]

Another possible source of trouble – in the post above, I did not make the URL an active link, the software on this site did it automatically. I am sure if I wait long enough, there will be software available which will compose, write and send my emails without any input from me.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

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