Google Cloud fraud defense, the next evolution of reCAPTCHA

SoKamil

Google clearly wants only Google approved models to traverse the web.

xacky

The fact that mobile devices are now mandatory to prove "humanness" means that Google no longer trusts desktop/open platforms anymore.

mayama

The site doesn't mention this. But, are they locking down QR code auth for only safetynet authenticated devices and with mobile number verification?

arian_

Google building harder walls against bots while simultaneously building AI agents that need to get through them is peak 2026.

stupidgeek314

Why can't an AI scan the QR code? Just fire up an emulator if necessary

bramhaag

The requirements for the mobile devices are listed here: https://support.google.com/recaptcha/answer/16609652 So it seems that you will need a modern Android device with Google Play Services installed or a modern iPhone/iPad to be allowed to browse the web in the future. No mention of device integrity verification yet, but the writing is on the wall.

mrguyorama

Google and the reCAPTCHA network aren't even that good with fraud prevention. You would think being literally omniscient over the whole internet would make it trivial to catch account takeovers, and Gmail has a proven track record at resisting account takeover, but when we tried to integrate their fraud signals, they were worthless, worse than the rest of the industry, worse than our homegrown trash from a decade ago. Because Google doesn't actually care about preventing fraud, they just want the data you feed them and the fraud feedback you provide. It's all take, no mutual business.

amazingamazing

How are people stopping bots reliably?

MichaelNolan

I’m trying to use my phone less and less. Ideally I’d like to even switch a dumb phone. But tactics like this will make that nearly impossible if every website starts requiring a QR code scan on a authorized smartphone.

LoganDark

Human verification via QR code does not mitigate labor farms.

driverdan

Any company that requires me to scan a QR code to make a purchase is losing my purchase.

ifh-hn

Can I confirm that this is more shit from Google trying to lock people into their ecosystem (or Apples) under the guise security?

PyWoody

What funny timing: After being hounded with CAPTCHAs every time I tried to search from the URL bar for the past week, not two hours ago I switched everything over to DDG. Great work, Google!

kajman

This would not have ever been announced while Lina Khan was running the FCC.

tech234a

The QR code feature looks like it could be spoofed to become a Pegasus deployment method once people get used to them.

basch

Is this why google was repeatedly telling me I was displaying patterns of being a bot yesterday because I click too fast? I've never gotten the error message as many times as I did yesterday.

eddy-sekorti

Thanks for sharing

scotty79

"This AI-resistant mitigation challenge to prove human presence is designed to make automated fraud economically unviable." Oh, you sweet, summer child.

arewethereyeta

Two mdashes in the first sentence...hmm.

graphememes

yeah im not doing that