Home / Technology / New Protocol Fights Bots Without Snooping
New Protocol Fights Bots Without Snooping
22 Jun
Summary
- A new protocol called PACT verifies legitimate web traffic anonymously.
- PACT issues an anonymous 'personhood' token to identify real users.
- Major browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge are adopting PACT.
Bot traffic has surpassed human internet requests, leading to a crucial development in web infrastructure. Cloudflare, in collaboration with major web browsers including Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge, is spearheading the creation of a new internet protocol named Private Access Control Tokens (PACT).
PACT is designed to verify legitimate web access from both humans and sophisticated bots. It achieves this by issuing an anonymous "personhood" token attached to a user's browser. This token utilizes trusted contextual data to confirm genuine access while strictly safeguarding user privacy.
The protocol's adoption by browsers controlling approximately 77% of the market share, as reported by StatCounter, suggests a widespread rollout. This initiative aims to empower businesses to better identify genuine visitors and focus resources effectively.
By implementing PACT, online platforms can enhance trustworthiness and integrity. Stakeholders like Shopify emphasize its role in distinguishing legitimate shoppers and authorized agents from abusive traffic, ultimately improving the online experience without intrusive tracking or unnecessary friction for users.
