Use a Google recaptcha alternative
Seriously ... I HATE GOOGLE RECAPTCHA! Because I actively try to prevent Google tracking me (I've disabled practically every Google domain I can find using my /etc/hosts file), Google is not really aware I exist on the net. As a result, I HAD TO SOLVE TEN--count them--TEN DAMNED CHALLENGES to sign up for this site! (I'm given to understand the following things about ReCAPTCHA: 1) Google does not present as many challenges if it has seen your IP address often, which it won't for me because I actively block them; and 2) the ReCAPCHTA code sometimes presents challenge after challenge even after it's decided you're not human, probably to frustrate the bots.)
Counter to what your web design team thinks, there ARE other ways to tell humans apart from computers! DON'T USE reCAPTCHA!
2. WHO DESIGNED THIS DAMNED FORM?? It's got a bloody small dialogue THAT I CAN'T RESIZE IN FIREFOX! (for Linux.) Kindly inform your "user experience" idiots that tiny dialogue boxes are a pain in the ass to work with.
Thanks for your feedback, this feature request is complete! To learn more about our custom built CAPTCHA, visit: https://proton.me/blog/proton-captcha
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Jim commented
Given the current rush to deplatform from Google, consider eliminating their reCaptcha, which requires JavaScript from google.com and gstatic.com, and using a different scheme. E.g., Craigslist.org uses hcaptcha.com
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Jerry Howard commented
Have had Proton for several years and much appreciate it, but I hope management will seriously consider the rapidly escalating tidal wave of repression that is sweeping the USA right now. (And much of the rest of the world for that matter)
Anything associated with Google, Amazon, FB, Twitter, etc, should be avoided as much as possible.
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Anonymous commented
Then don't use ReCAPTCHA for human verification. Use another email service, phone number, or payment.
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Anonymous commented
Of course!! Please!
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Test86 commented
Agreed. I switched from gmail to ProtonMail in an attempt to use anything G00gle as little as possible. And having to solve so many captchas is pretty ridiculous. There are other types of Captchas. I hope Proton will consider using an alternative.
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None commented
The picture puzzle nonsense should be outlawed.
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Anonymous commented
Many times Google's service doesn't work, other times it goes on and on many times before verification. Extremely annoying. Sometimes I never can access because of it.
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K commented
hCaptcha please! I use Privacy pass, and don't have to complete them so much then.
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Anonymous commented
@Ralph J: I'm the original poster, and I agree. I should have waited 24 hours before posting this. I was incredibly frustrated at having to solve 10 Google ReCAPTCHAs, especially since I loathe all things Google to begin with.
The non-resizeable dialogue box is an example of bad design, something which I see entirely too much of on the web these days. In my opinion, it comes from web "designers" knowing nothing of its history or intentions of HTML, and the fact I suspect many of them are not experienced web or computer users.
I also notice ProtonMail hasn't bothered changing it yet. Maybe they don't like being yelled at ...
@admin: While I appreciate you've taken care to sandbox the ReCAPTCHA, I'm still disappointed that a Swiss-based company whose primary mission is to protect the privacy of its users is using a Google service, which is American and whose mission is to collect as much information as possible about everyone on the planet. It sends a decidedly mixed message.
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Anonymous commented
Google Captcha also refuses to load with Tor ("Your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now. For more details visit our help page") or requires you to solve 3+ captchas. Additionally with Tor the alternative audio captcha isn't available. There are many free and effective captcha providers, which don't discriminate against Tor users and which include accessible audio options.
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Brian Richmond commented
I think I like your comment the most Raph J. Civility is seemingly one of the most underrated functions of our behaviors.
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Justin commented
Privacy concerns aside, I actually just have a lot of issues with ReCAPTCHA with ProtonVPN. ReCAPTCHAs frequently fail to load, time out, or give me 8 or more pages of human verification checks. It would be great to use a service that was more friendly to Proton services like ProtonVPN.
Of course the privacy element of data sharing with Google, but even more important to me than whatever Google gets from me with ReCAPTCHA is simply being able to log into a website that has these forms. Often I have issues logging into websites that use ReCAPTCHA when I am connected to ProtonVPN.
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Proton Plus User commented
@Anonymous and others, please don't overuse all-caps. For some of us, it really makes you not want to read a post and it just doesn't feel nice to look at, like being SCREAMED at. See what I did there? ;)
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AdminProton (Admin, Proton) commented
In our setup, reCaptcha is served from a sandboxed iframe, which prevents it from being able to interfere with our java script, so it does not pose a privacy or security risk.
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David Perthson commented
Maybe ProtonMail could make their own reCaptcha...
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Peter commented
I like to visit you to talk about a better system (new ) like hCaptcha or Geetest instead of ReCAPTCHA.
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Anonymous commented
Totally agree - you should not be using anything that supports Google/Facebook, etc. It is totally inconsistent with your positioning and undermines your credibility.
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Peter A commented
I agree with this. This is very annoying as a uBlock Origin user.
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Darth Nagar commented
it is indeed 'suprising' to use google methods and tools, especially when others exist (such as hCaptcha).
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Anonymous commented
I think Protom Mail team should consider using this as an alternative for Google CAPTCHA https://www.hcaptcha.com/