“Are you human?”
The question, and its answer “Sorry, we have to ask”, should not annoy you. CAPTCHA is one of the ways sites make sure that their programmes are not spammed.
Today, every major website uses CAPTCHA — which stands for Completely Automated Public Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart — to separate human beings from rogue computer programmes.
You too must have answered this test scores of times while logging into sites. At times, it is very annoying to identify the alphabets and numbers that are deliberately distorted. But there are two good reasons why website administrators insist on using CAPTCHA.
1. Stop comment spam: Two victims of comment spam are bloggers and news sites that invite readers to react to blogposts or news reports. Instead of legitimate and informed comment left by visitors, the comment boxes are flooded with comments that are banal or commercial – and which have nothing to do with the report.
These comments, known as comment spam, are posted by computer programmes. A smart way to eliminate comment spam is to use CAPTCHA. Computer programmes can’t read them; so they can’t post rogue comments.
2. Block frivolous registration: Websites that require user registration – like e-mail providers or e-commerce stores — find CAPTCHAs particularly useful in keeping out registrations made by rogue computer programmes. The CAPTCHA ensures that only human beings register. Computer programmes find it impossible to read the letters that web administrators design.
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