Remove reCAPTCHA integration from comment form and update privacy policy references

Author: kotsaris

_includes/comment_form.html

@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@
       <label><input id="privacy_agreement" type="checkbox" required> I have read and agree to the <a href="/privacy" target="_blank">Privacy Policy</a> *</label>
       <br/>
 
-      <!-- reCAPTCHA: keep only the site key on the client -->
-      <div class="g-recaptcha" data-sitekey="{{ site.commenting.recaptcha.sitekey }}"></div>
-
       <div class="warning-box" id="warning-box"></div>
       <button type="submit" class="submit-button">Submit</button>
     </div>
@@ -76,14 +73,6 @@
       warningBox.textContent = 'Please agree to the Privacy Policy.';
       warningBox.style.display = 'block';
       return;
-    }
-
-    const captchaResponse = grecaptcha.getResponse();
-
-    if (!captchaResponse) {
-      warningBox.textContent = 'Please complete the reCAPTCHA.';
-      warningBox.style.display = 'block';
-      return;
     } else {
       warningBox.style.display = 'none';
     }
@@ -98,7 +87,6 @@
       message: $('#message').val().trim(),
       url: $('#url').val().trim() || '',
       avatarUrl: avatarUrl,
-      gRecaptchaResponse: captchaResponse,
     };
 
     // Basic front-end validation
@@ -136,8 +124,6 @@
         window.location.href = '/pages/sorry';
       },
       complete: function () {
-        // Reset captcha so user can retry if needed
-        grecaptcha.reset();
         $submitButton.prop('disabled', false).text('Submit');
       }
     });

_includes/head.html

@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@
 	<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/site.css" type="text/css">
 	<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.2/jquery.min.js"></script>
 	<script src="/js/slash.js" async></script>
-	<script src="https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js" async defer></script>
 	<!-- Google Analytics loaded via cookie consent banner -->
 	{% if site.google_analytics_tracking_id %}
 	{% include cookie_consent.html %}

privacy/index.markdown

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ This site uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with the con
 You can opt out of Google Analytics by:
 - Declining cookies when you first visit (via the cookie banner)
 
-#### Comments
+#### Commenting
 
 If you post a comment on this blog:
 - Only your **display name** and **message** are required
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ If you post a comment on this blog:
 
 This site uses cookies for:
 - **Google Analytics:** Tracking site usage (requires your consent)
-- **reCAPTCHA:** Spam protection on comment forms (Google service)
 - **Local Storage:** Remembering your name and URL if you use "Remember Me" on comments
 
 ### What I Don't Do
@@ -56,7 +55,6 @@ This site uses cookies for:
 This site uses these third-party services that have their own privacy policies:
 
 - **Google Analytics** - [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)
-- **Google reCAPTCHA** - [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)
 - **Robohash** (avatar generation) - [https://robohash.org](https://robohash.org)
 - **GitHub Pages** (hosting) - [Privacy Statement](https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/privacy-policies/github-privacy-statement)