As you know, we have direct integration with the most popular contact form plugin – Contact Form 7. Also, you are probably familiar with the Flamingo – a message storage plugin, which doesn’t store submitted messages. Earlier, when using these two plugins simultaneously with CleanTalk Anti-Spam, messages recognized as spam would end up in the “spam” folder instead of just being deleted.
After a couple of requests about this, we decided that it would be a great idea not to store messages recognized as spam in Flamingo. So now we’ve made the “Save Flamingo Spam entries” option in the Anti-Spam plugin settings. It is enabled by default, but you can turn it off, after which messages recognized as spam will stop being stored in this folder.
How to activate the option
1. Install both Contact Form 7 and Flamingo plugins. The option is displayed only if you have both plugins installed and activated.
2. Go to Anti-Spam plugin settings in your WordPress dashboard
3. Scroll down to “Forms to protect” directory, find the “Save Flamingo spam entries” option and switch it off. The option is switched on by default.
That’s it! Now your messages recognized as spam will not be stored in Flamingo. If you want to see these messages again, just turn this option back on.
CAPTCHA technology is a widely used tool to prevent spam and abuse on websites. This free technology uses risk analysis techniques to distinguish humans from bots. It may seem like a convenient and free solution for protecting contact forms from spam. Still, there are several reasons why using CAPTCHA with Contact Form 7 can be detrimental to user experience and website accessibility.
1. Using CAPTCHA degrades user experience
One of the main issues with using CAPTCHA is its impact on user experience. The traditional CAPTCHA process requires users to solve a challenge, such as identifying objects in images or solving puzzles before they can submit a form. This extra step can be frustrating for users, particularly those with visual or cognitive impairments. It creates a barrier to entry and can discourage potential visitors from engaging with the website. The use of free tools is a saving on the convenience of visitors. And they understand that.
2. Impossible to be used by visitors with disabilities
Moreover, CAPTCHA can be especially challenging for individuals with disabilities. Such as those who rely on screen readers or have difficulty with fine motor skills. The visual and interactive nature of CAPTCHA challenges can make it inaccessible to these users. That helps effectively exclude them from interacting with the contact form.
3. Data Privacy
In addition to accessibility concerns, CAPTCHA also raises privacy issues. The tool collects and processes large amounts of personal data, including user behavior and device information, to determine whether a visitor is a bot or a human. This data collection raises concerns about user privacy and data security, as it involves sharing sensitive information with a third-party service provider. So, when you use a free solution, you still pay, but only with the convenience of your visitors and the security of their data.
For example, Google reCAPTCHA’s reliance on Google’s infrastructure means that website owners have limited control over how their users’ data is handled. This lack of transparency and control can be problematic, especially in light of increasing concerns about data privacy and online security.
4. Slowing down your website
Another drawback of using Contact Form 7 CAPTCHA is the potential impact on website performance. The CAPTCHA script adds additional overhead to the website, increasing load times and affecting overall performance. This can lead to a suboptimal user experience and may deter visitors from engaging with the contact form or other parts of the website.
5. Risk of technical issues
Moreover, CAPTCHA’s reliance on external scripts and resources means that it introduces another point of failure to the website. If the CAPTCHA service experiences downtime or technical issues, it can prevent users from submitting forms or accessing content, disrupting the normal functioning of the website.
6. Ethical issues
In addition to these practical concerns, there are also ethical considerations associated with using Contact Form 7 CAPTCHA spam protection. By relying on a proprietary tool developed by a tech giant like Google, website owners contribute to the consolidation of power in the hands of a few dominant players in the tech industry. This can have far-reaching implications for competition, innovation, and the open web.
What are the alternatives?
Fortunately, there are alternative approaches to protecting contact forms from spam that do not rely on CAPTCHA. The most effective way is to use an invisible cloud-based spam protection, that has a direct integration with Contact Form 7. One of these solutions is the Anti-Spam protection by CleanTalk.
Why CleanTalk Anti-Spam instead of CAPTCHA-based solutions
CleanTalk Anti-Spam offers several advantages over traditional CAPTCHA solutions, making it a more user-friendly and effective option for protecting websites from spam. Here are some reasons why CleanTalk Anti-Spam is considered superior to CAPTCHA:
Compatibility CleanTalk Anti-Spam is compatible with a wide range of platforms and content management systems, making it easy to integrate with existing websites without requiring extensive customization or development work
Privacy and Security The Anti-Spam service prioritizes user privacy and data security and operates without invasive data collection practices. This approach aligns with the growing concerns about online privacy and data protection.
User-Friendly Experience The Anti-Spam provides a seamless and non-intrusive experience for website visitors. It operates in the background without requiring any action from the user. This approach minimizes friction and frustration for visitors, leading to a more positive user experience.
Performance CleanTalk Anti-Spam cloud protection operates efficiently in the background, minimizing the impact on website performance and ensuring a smooth user experience.
Accessibility CleanTalk Anti-Spam does not rely on visual or interactive challenges, making it more accessible to a wider range of users, including those with disabilities.
Effectiveness The Anti-Spam plugin employs advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques to accurately identify and effectively filter out unwanted content while reducing false positives, ensuring that legitimate form submissions are not erroneously blocked.
