The ways in which Google can lock you into their ecosystem are often obvious, but sometimes, they’re incredibly sneaky and easily missed.
CAPTCHA tests are annoying, but at the same time, they can help protect websites from bots. While these tests are already the bane of our internet existence, they are going to get worse for some Android users. A requirement for Google’s next-generation reCAPTCHA system will make it a lot harder for de-Googled phones to browse the web.
A Reddit user has highlighted a seemingly innocuous support page for Google’s reCAPTCHA system. The page in question relates to troubleshooting reCAPTCHA verification on mobile. In the document, it says that you’ll need to use a compatible mobile device to complete verification. If you have an Android phone, then that means you’ll need to be running Google Play Services version 25.41.30 or higher.
↫ Ryan McNeal at Android Authority
When was the last time you actively thought about reCAPTCHA being a Google property? Even then, when was the last time you imagined something as annoying but ultimately basic as a captcha prompt could be used to tie people to Google Play Services, and thus to “blessed” Android? Every time we manage to work around one of these asinine ties to Google Play Services, another one pops up to ruin our day. We’re so stupidly tied down to and entirely dependent on two very mid – at best – mobile operating systems, and it’s such a stupid own goal for especially everyone outside of the US to just sit there and do nothing about it.
Worse yet, it seems we’re only tying ourselves down further, while paying for the privilege.
At the very least we should be categorising certain services – government ID services, payment services, popular messaging platforms, and a few more – as vital infrastructure, and legally mandate these services have clearly defined and well-documented APIs so anyone is free to make alternative clients. The fact that many people are tied to either iOS or “blessed” Android because of something as stupid as what bank they use or the level of incompetency of their government ID service should be a major crisis in any country that isn’t the US.
I don’t want to use iOS or Android, but nobody is leaving me any choice. It’s infuriating.
