CAPTCHA: Understanding the Technology Behind the 'I'm Not a Robot'​ Check and Protecting Your Browsing History (2024)

When you check a "I'm not a robot" box on a website, you are completing a process called "CAPTCHA". CAPTCHA stands for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart". The goal of CAPTCHA is to determine whether the user is a human or a machine by presenting a test that is easy for a human to solve, but difficult for a machine.

Typically, a CAPTCHA will present an image or audio clip that contains distorted text or numbers, and ask the user to type or select the correct characters. The website then uses algorithms to evaluate the user's response and determine if it was entered by a human or by a machine.

In recent years, newer versions of CAPTCHA have been developed, such as reCAPTCHA v3, which uses machine learning algorithms to evaluate the user's interactions with the website, including mouse movements and typing patterns, to determine if the user is a human or a machine.

CAPTCHA does not directly check the user's web history. However, some CAPTCHA implementations may use browser fingerprints or other data available to the website to determine the user's identity and assess their risk level.

As for the safety of your browsing history, it depends on various factors, such as the security measures in place on the websites you visit, the security of your device, and your own online habits. Generally speaking, your browsing history can be vulnerable to privacy breaches if you access sensitive information on unsecured websites, or if your device is infected with malware or other security threats. To keep your browsing history safe, it's important to use a secure browser, practice safe online habits, and keep your device and software up to date.

The purpose of CAPTCHA is to prevent automated bots and scripts from accessing or manipulating websites, thereby protecting websites from spam and other malicious activities.