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From: Rich <rich@example.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: [LINK] Google begins requiring JavaScript for Google Search
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2025 18:12:08 -0000 (UTC)
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Salvador Mirzo <smirzo@example.com> wrote:
> Sylvia Else <sylvia@email.invalid> writes:
> 
>> On 21-Jan-25 5:10 am, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>> Google begins requiring JavaScript for Google Search
>>>   by Thom Holwerda 2025-01-18
>>>   - 
>>> https://www.osnews.com/story/141570/google-begins-requiring-javascript-for-google-search/ 
>>> " Google says it has begun requiring users to turn on JavaScript, 
>>>   the widely used programming language to make web pages 
>>>   interactive, in order to use Google Search.  In an email to 
>>>   TechCrunch, a company spokesperson claimed that the change is 
>>>   intended to "better protect" Google Search against malicious 
>>>   activity, such as bots and spam, and to improve the overall 
>>>   Google Search experience for users.
> 
> [...]
> 
>> How is this going to '"better protect" Google Search against 
>> malicious activity, such as bots and spam'?
> 
> I believe the idea is that if the robot doesn't speak Javascript, 
> it's an easy denial by the web server.  And making bots speak 
> Javascript is one step up.  And with Javascript they can likely 
> monitor things like mouse movement to detect whether the user is a 
> human or a robot.
> 
> I'm not approving the idea; just sharing what I think they might have 
> in mind when they say Javascript will help them fend off robots.

Yes, this is probably the 'excuse' they would offer up if pressed (for 
bots -- for SPAM, no idea).

But the part they forget is that the reason they have such a 'bots' 
problem is the revenue the bot authors can obtain by gaming google 
search.  All requiring JS will do is result in those same scammers 
"building a better bot" -- i.e., the revenue stream is enough they will 
put in the effort to make their bots speak JS, and google will be back 
where they started.

The *real* reason, which they will likely never admit to, is likely 
that the advertising overlords in control of what is left of the old 
"don't be evil" google figured out they can gain more "data" on users 
by requiring JS than not, and so the change is solely to hoover up more 
data and gain more ad dollars for the mothership.