Aussies Campaign To Kill CAPTCHA

CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is a website security measure which is well-known to internet users. As it names suggests, it tells human and computers apart and stops automated registration or other activities with computer programs, applications and spammers as its main target. But through the years, some people find it harder to read the distorted letters and gets frustrated with this security measure.

When you hear the word CAPTCHA you will always associate it to World Wide Web€™ making it an integral part of the internet. Okay, so CAPTCHA stops automated scripts, so what? Read its benefits below:

1. Online polls using CAPTCHA makes it look more genuine. This means people are the one who voted in polls and not computers making it look more legitimate.
2. Stops automated website sign-up. CAPTCHA is like one of the basic security measures for every websites that allow registration. It also reduces abuse on sign-up for free emails.
3. Minimizes spam. Applicable for blogs with enabled comment and other websites that requires registration.
4. Minimizes viruses.
5. Online shopping gets more secure. This will benefit the site owner in the sense that it will stop fake orders.
6. Protects email accounts. It reduces the chance of having your email compromised or hacked.
7. Stops bulk concert ticket order. Scalpers who use automated software to scoop thousands of concert tickets are reduced.

Seeing its benefits above, how come some consumer groups still want it killed? ACCAN, together with Able Australia, Blind Citizens Australia and Australian Deafblind are calling for the killing of the CAPTCHA due to its frustrating puzzles that is hard to unravel for people with disabilities.

The Kill CAPTCHA petition was launched and immediately received signatures from a lot of people who are against it. Their main reason is that it’€™s hard for the blind to access online government websites and their services and other websites. Though, there are software that can read CAPTCHA for the blind or for those who have eyesight problems, oftentimes, it is not accurate. The audio CAPTCHA alternative is just too hard to hear too.

So, are these negative responses good enough to remove CAPTCHA? Michael McKinnon of AVG doesn’€™t think so, he said that is unavoidable. And if this security measure is removed, it would be easier for criminals to automate illegalities and online activities. W3C also added that there are other alternatives, like trivia, math questions, sound files, and biometrics. The only problem is, most websites are comfortable using CAPTCHA. What do you think?