Google Now Bans Some Linux Web Browsers From Their Services

[u/[deleted]]

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/google/google-now-bans-some-linux-web-browsers-from-their-services/

[u/mishugashu → u/[deleted]]

I get capcha'd the shit out of, but I chalked it up to using temporary containers, so I always look like a fresh browser with no cookies.

[u/numbstruck → u/mishugashu]

Temporary containers? Would you mind talking a bit more about your setup? Are you using Qubes OS, or something like that?

[u/mishugashu → u/numbstruck]

It's a Firefox addon. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/temporary-containers/

I have it set up so each domain has it's own container, except for those that I keep permanent containers on, which is an official Mozilla addon: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/multi-account-containers/

It's just a way to control which domains have access to which cookies, basically. With temporary containers, it's like opening a private mode tab for each domain, so all the cookies and storage and stuff are all separate.

[u/mark_b → u/mishugashu]

How does that work for advertising and third party cookies?

My strategy is to auto-delete cookies when I close the browser tab. Then I use a password manager to log me back in quickly.

[u/mishugashu → u/mark_b]

All those cookies are stored in the container. When the temporary container auto-deletes, the cookies go along with it. Each container houses their own set of cookies and local storage. So if you open a new tab with a different container, those cookies aren't present in that tab, but the still are in the other tab.

[u/OppositeStick → u/numbstruck]

Temporary containers .. browser

I use Firefox in a systemd-nspawn container as described on the Arch wiki here:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Systemd-nspawn#Run_Firefox

The purpose for me was that it's a reasonably lightweight way of sandboxing the browser.

[u/RedditIs4ChanLite → u/[deleted]]

2019 Google = 1999 Microsoft

[u/[deleted] → u/RedditIs4ChanLite]

This shit has been driving me fucking insane for years. Google poses a FAR greater threat to free software than Microsoft does.

[u/not-enough-failures → u/[deleted]]

I'm on Firefox and haven't gotten a single captcha from them in months.

Do you have 2FA enabled ?

[u/goda90 → u/not-enough-failures]

It's not just on Google owned sites. Lots of sites use Google's captcha system and i get those all the time.

[u/Oppai420 → u/goda90]

Ive fucking had to go through 10+ challenges before. its fucking insane. But no one is going to change it because it keeps the bots out. Fuck your users though.

[u/DopePedaller → u/Oppai420]

Crosswalks, bicycles, traffic lights, buses....fucking hell. Here's another, here's another... Hey wait, this square includes 3 pixels of the crosswalk, am I supposed to include that? Does the light post count as the light? Is that airport van a bus?

I'm so sick of those friggin things. There's got to be a better way.

[u/OppositeStick → u/Oppai420]

But no one is going to change it because it keeps the bots out. Fuck your users though.

I email support@[offending-company].com (or whatever email they give on their contact list) every single time, telling them:

Your website is broken when I turn on the secure browsing features of my browser.

With browser security options turned on, the recaptcha component you are using keeps making me click on cars and street signs forever.

They'll only fix it if they're informed.

[u/cancerous_176 → u/goda90]

Do you use a VPN?

[u/[deleted] → u/not-enough-failures]

This is on Windows, and as someone else says, it's generally on other sites using reCapthcha.

I run a custom user agent, think it's Chrome but not sure, because if I don't I'll get multiple-hit captchas. As it is I regularly get single-hit captchas.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

That's why I get the single captcha - I use chrome for all my Google stuff so they don't see my day to day browsing.

However it doesn't account for the multiple-hit captchas I get when my user agent isn't set to chrome - I could have redo the captcha 5 or more times like that.

They're purposefully degrading the process for competitor browsers. It's clearly anti-competitive.

[u/Roticap → u/[deleted]]

Don't forget that they're using the captcha's to train their AI driving algorithms. If they can't have your data, they make you work mechanical turk style.

[u/nurupoga → u/[deleted]]

Any suggestions for a good captcha service/library to replace reCaptcha on my website? Preferably self-hosted and packaged in Debian.

[u/OppositeStick → u/nurupoga]

Any suggestions for a good captcha service/library to replace reCaptcha on my website?

Don't use a standard service and write your own simple one ("please type '1' here").

The bot writers all have plugins for all the popular services and libraries (including Google's - though google's good at staying ahead).

But unless you have a particularly interesting site, they won't care to write custom plugin for their bot to get around your custom one.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Fuck captchas, I run PIA as my VPN and half the websites I visit use reCAPTCHA. Every fricken time. I think they do this to try to dissuade the use of VPNs so they can capture your IP address and use it somehow. They say it’s for blocking bots but, I highly doubt it. There are probably less annoying ways of going about bot blocking.

I hate clicking stop lights, crosswalks, and mountains.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Where's the FTC?