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EarlG

(23,816 posts)
50. The latter
Tue Jul 14, 2026, 02:33 PM
19 hrs ago

They are mostly AI crawlers. This problem has been plaguing most independent websites for the last couple of years.

FWIW we have had Cloudflare running in the background for some time, but I’ve been working on making it more aggressive over the past few days because the previous settings were letting too many bots through. That’s why folks are now seeing the security challenge pages. Hopefully I will be able to eliminate the challenge pages for people signed in to DU soon.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I was happy to see the page briefly verify me. ananda 20 hrs ago #1
Thanks, EarlG. Will these "confirm you are human" pages continue to pop up each time? hlthe2b 20 hrs ago #2
After you see the page once, Cloudflare serves you a cookie EarlG 20 hrs ago #19
I clear every cookie that comes through my house. House of Roberts 20 hrs ago #26
LOL... Thanks for that little chuckle! FemDemERA 16 hrs ago #71
I don't clear cookies but I have gotten the verify I'm a human page two times in row this afternoon. Raftergirl 16 hrs ago #77
I've just changed some settings which will hopefully increase the amount of time it takes EarlG 16 hrs ago #78
I never sign out. But every once in a while I have to sign in. Probably because I can go a long time without Raftergirl 16 hrs ago #80
As a general security measure, everyone on DU EarlG 16 hrs ago #82
I clear them through my GI Tract. warmfeet 15 hrs ago #89
K&R spanone 20 hrs ago #3
Prove to me you are human "EarlG" unblock 20 hrs ago #4
Snort. 🤭 littlemissmartypants 20 hrs ago #22
Got one of those just before coming back online. greatauntoftriplets 20 hrs ago #5
Lol. It made me verify my humanity to respond to you. One thing Maru Kitteh 20 hrs ago #6
Yes - this just happened to me MolecularDust 20 hrs ago #14
the "rec" might just be slow, hitting it again is a "unrec" rampartd 20 hrs ago #17
thank you AverageOldGuy 20 hrs ago #7
It's all good with me. Wednesdays 20 hrs ago #8
If only there was a programmatic way to block out MAGAts......! lastlib 19 hrs ago #36
So far so good. BidenRocks 20 hrs ago #9
I have been glad to see it. BumRushDaShow 20 hrs ago #10
Thank you for all that you do for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chicagogrl1 20 hrs ago #11
I second that emotion! calimary 15 hrs ago #88
Sure. Happy my existential crisis is helping others. Solly Mack 20 hrs ago #12
Thank you for your efforts, EarlG. democrank 20 hrs ago #13
Thanks EarlG... Spazito 20 hrs ago #15
tried to rec this thread and one of the comments on it. i couldn't orleans 20 hrs ago #16
Better a Cloudflare tick box... ultralite001 20 hrs ago #18
I hope it's ok that I let... littlemissmartypants 20 hrs ago #20
Princess Floof is just gorgeous! SheltieLover 20 hrs ago #23
Thanks, SL. Sometimes I can't believe how lucky I got with her. littlemissmartypants 19 hrs ago #51
Floof's heart is large enough to hold you SheltieLover 19 hrs ago #52
❤️ littlemissmartypants 18 hrs ago #57
Ugly Keepthesoulalive 14 hrs ago #90
Thank you. I don't believe she's ugly either but Pomeranian puppies... littlemissmartypants 11 hrs ago #94
I think she is adorable Keepthesoulalive 8 hrs ago #96
Ty, EarlG SheltieLover 20 hrs ago #21
Thanks for post--and yes I have been getting them today and asking if I am human. riversedge 20 hrs ago #24
Do we have to dweller 20 hrs ago #25
You shouldn't, unless EarlG 20 hrs ago #27
I am signed in dweller 20 hrs ago #28
Same. Not clearing/blocking cookies and not using a VPN. I wonder if it has something to do with having Raftergirl 16 hrs ago #79
I think it's because the "time out" on the security challenege was set to too short a time period EarlG 16 hrs ago #83
THANK YOU EARLG! Fla Dem 20 hrs ago #29
i thought it was my security having a brain fart at first. dawn5651 20 hrs ago #30
Thank you! denvine 20 hrs ago #31
I bend with the Wind. WheelWalker 20 hrs ago #32
Thanks for explaining, EarlG! Hope the changes will slow down the AI scrapers hurting so many highplainsdem 20 hrs ago #33
Thank you! PatSeg 20 hrs ago #34
Thank you EarlG! CousinIT 19 hrs ago #35
Thanks for taking such good care of us. Ford_Prefect 19 hrs ago #37
2 laptops here, the older one goes into a infinite loop on VPN Justice matters. 19 hrs ago #38
Are you blocking cookies by any chance? EarlG 19 hrs ago #41
Thanks for the all work you do, EarlG :) Justice matters. 19 hrs ago #47
Update: my last night's issue (loop) did not happen tonight Justice matters. 6 hrs ago #97
That's a relief. I thought for an instant that I would need to log in with a manual override. Uncle Joe 19 hrs ago #39
So far so good! Thanks EarlG oasis 19 hrs ago #40
Thank you Botany 19 hrs ago #42
"...they are a good thing...in terms of protecting DU from bots" LudwigPastorius 19 hrs ago #43
I couldn't Rec button this so I'm making my own button... littlemissmartypants 18 hrs ago #58
Nothing new for me. Many Web sites I transit have been using Cloudflare's security for years. ffr 19 hrs ago #44
.! Marcuse 19 hrs ago #45
I appreciate the unobtrusive added layer of security. Thanks. Martin68 19 hrs ago #46
Are these malicious, targeted, DOS bots? Are they trying to find vulnerabilities? QueerDuck 19 hrs ago #48
The latter EarlG 19 hrs ago #50
Thank you EarlG - I'm always patient because I know that you're on top of things FakeNoose 19 hrs ago #49
Thank You EarlG! And thank you too from our dog Shadow, who loves DU! George McGovern 18 hrs ago #53
We are all on the same team here and I'm glad to do whatever little part will keep us stable NBachers 18 hrs ago #54
Thank you. H2O Man 18 hrs ago #55
Thank you for all EarlG mahina 18 hrs ago #56
Thanks for letting us know mgardener 18 hrs ago #59
🌈 ☮️ ZDU 18 hrs ago #60
Thanks for all your efforts cate94 18 hrs ago #61
Thank you MysteriousStranger 18 hrs ago #62
outstanding Skittles 18 hrs ago #63
Appreciate you! hibbing 17 hrs ago #64
Thanks for the heads-up. mdbl 17 hrs ago #65
TY for letting us know. appleannie1 17 hrs ago #66
Thank you EarlG! CaptainTruth 17 hrs ago #67
TY for them heads up, and efforts. electric_blue68 17 hrs ago #68
Thanks Earl for all you do for us!!!! winstars 17 hrs ago #69
I prefer to be a cosmic citizen than called a human. GreenWave 17 hrs ago #70
If anybody is having trouble recommending a post, Susan Calvin 16 hrs ago #72
Thank you EarlG and Elad for everything you do to FemDemERA 16 hrs ago #73
This happens repeatedly in Firefox nuxvomica 16 hrs ago #74
I've experienced the check firing quite a lot, and it's a bit annoying that it's showing repeatedly for some people EarlG 16 hrs ago #75
YAY dweller 16 hrs ago #76
I know you received a lot of challenges earlier EarlG 15 hrs ago #84
Got one 10-15 minutes ago dweller 15 hrs ago #86
I discovered that the challenge was set to fire once every 30 minutes EarlG 15 hrs ago #87
Saw your update dweller 14 hrs ago #92
Cloudflare is a good company V850i 16 hrs ago #81
THANK YOU!!!! Thank you for taking the time to communicate so clearly!! nt LAS14 15 hrs ago #85
Ah, got this earlier today and qondered what it was. Kewl. I like more security! ms liberty 14 hrs ago #91
I thought it was just me and my poor tech skills. BigmanPigman 13 hrs ago #93
Thanks for your work evolves 10 hrs ago #95
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