Merge branch 'ps/object-file-cleanup': The Battle Against Bot Scrapers

You are seeing this message because the administrator of this website has set up Anubis, a powerful tool designed to protect the server against the threat of AI companies aggressively scraping websites.

Anubis is a compromise between accessibility and security. Its core concept is based on a Proof-of-Work scheme, similar to Hashcash, which aims to make scraping much more expensive at mass levels while remaining negligible for individual users. This approach strikes a balance between allowing legitimate traffic while discouraging malicious activity.

At its core, Anubis is a work-around that allows the website to provide a challenge proof-of-work page without requiring users to engage with it directly. However, this requires a slight compromise: modern JavaScript features are necessary to bypass the challenge, but plugins like JShelter may disable these features.

This is a critical consideration for visitors using outdated or incompatible software. To overcome Anubis' security measures, JavaScript must be enabled. Unfortunately, a no-JS solution remains in development, leaving users with limited options.

It's worth noting that the rise of AI-powered scrapers has altered the social contract around website hosting. As such, implementing solutions like Anubis is an acknowledgment that websites can no longer rely solely on traditional security methods to protect themselves.

By understanding and acknowledging these challenges, we can take steps to mitigate their impact and create a more sustainable online ecosystem for all users.