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  • Google Broke reCAPTCHA for De-Googled Android Users

    From Richmond@3:633/10 to All on Friday, May 08, 2026 22:33:34

    https://reclaimthenet.org/google-broke-recaptcha-for-de-googled-android-users

    "The company that decides whether you're a bot now also requires you run its software to prove
    otherwise.

    Google has tied its next-generation reCAPTCHA system to Google Play Services on Android,
    meaning anyone running a de-Googled phone will automatically fail verification when the system
    decides to challenge them.

    The requirement forces Android users to run Google?s proprietary app framework version
    25.41.30 or higher just to prove they?re human.

    When reCAPTCHA flags what it considers suspicious activity, it abandons the old image puzzles
    and demands you scan a QR code. That scan requires Play Services running in the background,
    communicating with Google?s servers. If you?re using GrapheneOS or any other custom ROM that
    strips out Google?s software, the verification fails.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Richmond@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, May 09, 2026 10:08:31
    Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> writes:


    Google's new reCAPTCHA requires 25.41.30 or higher.

    5. Had it not been higher than required, I'd have to install the
    checker APK.
    <https://github.com/1nikolas/play-integrity-checker-app>
    <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gr.nikolasspyr.integritycheck>
    adb install play-integrity-checker.apk

    Why? The phone doesn't sound very degoogled.

    This action by Google might run up against EU's Digital Markets Act,
    which designates Google as a gatekeeper and places obligations around interoperability and not using one market position to leverage another.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Richmond@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, May 09, 2026 10:16:20
    Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> writes:


    This implies Google feels my device is physically secure (Green Device Integrity) but it doesn't like my degoogling efforts (Red Basic
    Integrity).

    Luckily, apparently, most apps only require meets_device_integrity.

    Will this get you past Captchas? It looks to me like google has captured
    11% of websites with Captcha. It will be interesting to see what Amazon
    does about it, as this would affect FireOS.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From vjp2.at@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, May 16, 2026 23:45:55
    Goon Ghule is EVIL!

    They require javascript but disallow java in android. NJINX indeed.

    Now, as the reddit degoogle group discusses, they will not let you
    install your own android APPs

    Android, Chrome & groups must be divested

    groups, with all the dejanews archives, should go to archive.org


    --
    Vasos Panagiotopoulos panix.com/~vjp2/vasos.htm
    ---{Nothing herein constitutes advice. Everything fully disclaimed.}---

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)