CAPTCHA UX: Why CAPTCHA is bad and its alternatives

CAPTCHA, an acronym for "Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart," is a widely used tool for distinguishing human users from bots on websites. Despite its original purpose of preventing spam and fraudulent activities, CAPTCHA is criticized for creating a poor user experience due to accessibility issues and its potential to exclude users with visual impairments or those from non-Western cultural backgrounds. Moreover, CAPTCHAs can often be bypassed by advanced bots or through exploitative labor practices in economically disadvantaged regions. Alternatives to CAPTCHA, such as machine-to-machine scoring systems and privacy passes, are being considered by companies seeking to improve user experience by eliminating the need for CAPTCHA altogether. The article argues that while CAPTCHAs were once effective, they now pose significant challenges for users and are increasingly viewed as a hindrance rather than a help.