ITV Comps - URLs avoiding captchas

Hadden01

Does anyone know if entries to ITV comps avoiding captchas are valid? Seems too good to be true
e.g. http://www.itv.com/competitions/embed.php?subscriber=ITV&oid=1114&type=campaign&origin_type=show&origin_oid=RealDeal
for today's Real Deal

Everything looks OK - msg to say entry successful and you get the usual error if you exceed number of entries for a phone number

mjm3346

If you can you get to the form by following the entry instructions as given in the interaction information they should be counted.

If not hopefully they will be treated as incorrect entries so they still use up an entry while not getting into the prize draw same as putting the wrong answer.


Why hopefully? Because

No captchas = automated entries = quicker end to free web entries.


Going to ITV, then the show page and competitions goes to this link

http://www.itv.com/onlineentry/dickinsonsrealdeal/?oid=1114&type=campaign&origin_type=show&origin_oid=RealDeal

which is not the same as yours but it is the one from the entry instructions.




They could use these parts of their T&Cs to discount the entries if you have not followed their instructions to get to the entry form

2.6.3.Web entry: Web entrants are required to follow the instructions on the website as indicated in the interaction information

2.8.Any entries which are above the maximum number of entries for each method of entry as specified in the interaction information or which are incomplete, without all the required information, inaudible, incomprehensible, made or received after the deadline for receiving entries has passed or which are not received by the Promoter or are not otherwise in accordance with the interaction terms and conditions are invalid and will be discounted

eyeballpaul

]I used to enter the late night ITV phone in competitions via the free web route. This involved a capcha which I could override. Had quite a few wins (Those were the days)


Hopefully entries are still valid, but if in doubt enter the capcha.


I will report back if I win without a capcha

Zanderman

Why take the risk of entering via a link that has no captcha and may be invalid? And, in the rules quoted by mjm3346 above, is clearly cheating.

Captchas can be annoying, but they can easily be refreshed to a new one, and unless you're entering with loads of phone numbers it's hardly difficult to fill 'em in.

Promoting the concept here on MSE is dodgy too - as it could lead to ITV asking for these comps to be removed from the site (or, as mjm3346 suggests, accelerate the trend to removing all free web entries) - so it could be ruining this for everyone.

Please don't do it.

(Edited to add - I've reported this thread as inappropriate for MSE)

Hadden01

Thanks for the input - if this thread needs removed then we should make sure these links are removed as they are appearing on the comp threads already

robbies_gal

i dont see how its invalid it says youve been entered it stops at 3 or 6 entries whichever the maximim is

has someone been banned from doing this before or have i missed something

CheCazzo

If you need clarification robbies_gal go back and read Zanderman's post. Makes perfect sense to me. Sometimes you need to look at the wider picture.

jaibaby

The whole point of captchas is to stop automated entries. Why are people so against spending a few extra seconds of doing them?

I would rather spend the time entering them than have who knows how many automated entries!!!

ETA: I'm sure someone somewhere said that when forms are filled with captchas, something shows on it to say they've been done correctly.

mjm3346

robbies_gal wrote: »

i dont see how its invalid it says youve been entered it stops at 3 or 6 entries whichever the maximim is

has someone been banned from doing this before or have i missed something

It will still say you have been entered if you put the wrong answer and it counts as one of your entries but you do not have a chance of winning.

If you follow the entry instructions and get a form without a captcha there should be no problem - if you do not follow the entry instructions the T&C's would allow them to discount the entry - I have no idea if they actually do so but if there is just a tiny chance they might disregard them why, apart from the auto entry mob, would anyone risk it?


Might even get caught by the (I think new this month) section C of the T&Cs

Manipulation of services

7.1The Promoter is committed to operating viewer interactivity, including without limitation competitions, prize draws, voting and interactive polls, fairly and to preventing abuse of its systems, as well as those of its agents and sub-contractors.


7.2For this reason, the Promoter and the producers of the programme reserve the right to disqualify and/or discount entries, votes or polls if they have reasonable grounds to suspect, at their sole discretion, having regard to all the circumstances and information available at the relevant time, any of the following:


7.2.1voting has occurred that is designed to excessively manipulate the outcome of the vote; or


7.2.2votes or polls or entries have been made in breach of these terms and conditions; or


7.2.3there has been any activity which the Promoter and the producers of the programme consider is designed to unfairly influence the interactive service and/or provide an unfair advantage to the voter or entrant including without limitation use of automated or semi-automated calling technology (such as auto-diallers) or other automated technology; or the making or disguising of multiple entries or votes by an individual entrant using multiple different phone numbers (or other details on which limits on number of entries or votes are based).


7.3If we determine that an individual has attempted to unfairly influence or manipulate an interactive service then in addition to disqualification and/or discounting entries, votes or polls for that interactive service we may (in our sole discretion) ban that individual from future interactive services and disqualify and/or discount any future entries, votes or polls made in respect of our interactive services.

cagsd

I'm not sure of the ins and outs of whether you could be disqualified for circumventing the captchas, however I do agree with the above posters who say that the whole point of them is to stop automated entries! And that if ITV are already toying with the idea of stopping free web entries, this kind of thing is only going to spur them on - the captcha adds about 2 seconds on to each entry, it's hardly a lot! Especially if you spread your entries and do one or a couple each day!

Hadden01

7.2.3there has been any activity which the Promoter and the producers of the programme consider is designed to unfairly influence the interactive service and/or provide an unfair advantage to the voter or entrant including without limitation use of automated or semi-automated calling technology (such as auto-diallers) or other automated technology; or the making or disguising of multiple entries or votes by an individual entrant using multiple different phone numbers (or other details on which limits on number of entries or votes are based).

Does that mean no individual can use more than one phone number?