Captcha Game: Infinite

As one Reddit user described his ordeal: “I spent 45 minutes identifying motorcycles. Then it asked me to identify ‘things that are not motorcycles.’ Then it asked me to identify ‘previous squares that contained motorcycles two rounds ago.’ I think I hallucinated a Vespa.” The question isn't "How do you beat the Infinite Captcha Game?" The question is "Why would anyone start it?"

You know the feeling. You’re trying to log into a Wi-Fi portal, buy limited-edition sneakers, or access your tax documents. Suddenly, a grid of fuzzy images appears. “Select all squares with traffic lights.” You click. A new grid appears. “Select all squares with bicycles.” You click again. Then: “Select all squares with crosswalks.” After the fifth round, your eye starts to twitch. Are you a human? Are you sure? Infinite Captcha Game

Surprisingly, the Infinite Captcha Game has become a cult phenomenon for three distinct reasons: As one Reddit user described his ordeal: “I

The bots might pass these tests before we do. And when that happens, the won't be a punishment. It will be the default state of the web—an endless hall of mirrors where no one, human or machine, can prove who they really are. Suddenly, a grid of fuzzy images appears

Instead, the difficulty ramps up. The images become more abstract. The objects to identify become hyper-specific. What starts as "buses" becomes "1970s era school buses with rust on the left fender." What starts as "storefronts" becomes "mom-and-pop bakeries that closed in 2008."