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Question

How could one solve captchas, such as those shown by zoom when one would like to join a meeting from the browser, whilst blocking access to www.google.com (search queries) on Ubuntu 20.04?

Constraints

Blocking google.com has to be browser-agnostic. I assume that implies browser-plugins are not a feasible option as I consider it not feasible to build a plugin for each existing browser. Currently, the host file is used to block google.com, and I thought perhaps allowing the exception to access https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js?hl=en could facilitate solving captchas. However, the host file blocks domains without blocking/permitting blocking/allowing specific urls/paths within a domain.

Approaches

So either one could find a way to block google.com (browser independent) whilst still allowing an exception for e.g. https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js?hl=en, or perhaps there is an alternative method to solve the captchas in/for the browser.

Context

I use a productivity lock that I would like people with arbitrary browsers to be able to use, which blocks (image and video search results of) google.com. Yet I think it is practical/productive to be able to solve captchas. I hope this does not spiral off into the irrationality of having a productivity block.

a.t.
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    It is clever from Google hosting recaptcha under www.google.com, isn't it? If you block it the internet stops working for you. I would be interested in an answer as well. – Michael W Apr 26 '21 at 18:33
  • @MichaelW your best way is to click Follow under the question – graham Apr 26 '21 at 19:01
  • You can't escape from Big Brother using this method! – FedKad Apr 26 '21 at 19:29
  • You could set a different default search engine in your browsers. – user535733 Apr 26 '21 at 20:05
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    OP's question is not about searching, but passing the "I'm not a robot" challenges, that pop up at various contexts (except for searching because there they are not relevant). – Levente Apr 26 '21 at 21:11
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    Write an email to the publishers of your frequented websites and ask them to replace the captchas to ones provided by a benevolent / ethically less problematic provider. Or get into politics, and exert pressure on informatics providers to not be evil. (But also avoid becoming evil yourself, as a politician.) It may seem challenging but there are people to whom this avenue is open. Are you among them? Only one way to find out. – Levente Apr 26 '21 at 22:13
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    You could use a combination of dnsmasq (which is more maintainable than a hosts file), and a proxy like squid, which probably can be configured to handle some requests and block others. I wouldn't trust just dns, since Chrome caches those dns requests and won't ask again if you give it an ip. Another approach which involves more work is using a programming language (example: nodejs + electron) to create a fully configurable proxy, and then you can package your product as a single installable. – bistoco Apr 27 '21 at 06:34

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