maanantai 23. tammikuuta 2012

API for solving CAPTCHA with automated humans

Read a strange thing today. Troy Hunt writes in his blog about a website called Antigate. The website's idea is that it provides a service for solving CAPTCHA (for those who don't know what that is, it's that distorted image you have to "solve" when you have to f.ex. register for a website). So the API works like:

  • Send a CAPTCHA image and API Key
  • Receive a ID for that CAPTCHA
  • After 10 seconds, send the ID back
  • Receive a response for the CAPTCHA or receive "Not ready"
  • Try again in 5 seconds & repeat if necessary


One of the most well-known types of CAPTCHA, ReCAPTCHA.
To me, this is pretty mind-boggling. So there are people working in some third world countries whose job is just to solve CAPTCHA all day? Jesus, talk about hell on earth. Even one CAPTCHA causes me pain!

The price, you ask?  1 USD for 1000 Answers. Seriously. That is pretty insane. And as stated in the blog post, it took around 30 seconds to receive the answer. 

We are living in an interesting world.

10 kommenttia:

  1. While ridiculous in many ways it provides jobs I guess, and what makes that job any worse than others?

    I do agree that it's a pain though, but it's faster just doing it yourself than letting someone else do it, so I think I'll keep doing that, just like I did now, posting this comment. :P

    VastaaPoista
  2. good post bro! check out my page!

    VastaaPoista
  3. seems like a crazy job that is totally worthless, maybe im missing something :D

    VastaaPoista
  4. I agree with Zap- it seems almost as futile as voting for Obama in 2012!

    VastaaPoista
  5. 1 buck for 1000 answers? Wow talk about low pay

    VastaaPoista
  6. I hate answering captchas, but that is a great example of slave labour in full force..

    VastaaPoista
  7. I will hire 20 immigrants to solve captchas 24/7. I will be rich!

    VastaaPoista
  8. Sometimes these captchas can be real pain in the ass, but I wouldn`t use that service. I`d just order a new one. Great business plan, though.

    VastaaPoista
  9. 30 seconds? you might as well do it yourself. I'm guessing only spambots would use the service.

    VastaaPoista
  10. man, a whole dollar for 1000 answered captchas? that is just crazy talk! I sure hope they can type like 200 WPM.

    VastaaPoista