Re: [LINK] Google begins requiring JavaScript for Google Search

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.