Enabling Form reCAPTCHA FAQs

During this time of critical, two-way resident communications, and especially in preparation for the election, we are enhancing an important CivicEngage® Form Center feature in phases beginning January 17, 2024, to enable reCAPTCHA on all forms. Security is always CivicPlus’ top priority, and this reCAPTCHA enhancement will mitigate the increase we have seen recently in spam attempts on public forms so that you can focus entirely on genuine resident inquiries. No actions are required by you.

Important Note

Most Form Center forms already have reCAPTCHA enabled, there is only a small percentage that will receive this update. Those customers received direct email communication to system administrators and primary contacts for their organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which forms will have reCAPTCHA enabled?

All forms in the Web Central Forms Center will be required to utilize reCAPTCHA and have reCAPTCHA enabled. This includes all existing forms and any new forms created in the future.

What is reCAPTCHA?  

reCAPTCHA is a free service by Google, built into your  Web Central  site that protects it from spam and abuse specifically at login or during the creation of user accounts and the submission of forms. reCAPTCHA uses an advanced risk analysis engine and adaptive CAPTCHAs to keep automated software from engaging in abusive activities on your website while letting your valid users pass through with ease. Learn about Google reCAPTCHA.

When will the feature enhancement occur? 

This will happen in phased releases beginning January 17, 2024.

Does reCAPTCHA comply with ADA requirements? 

Yes, the Google reCAPTCHA functionality that we use was designed with accessibility in mind. Learn more about the accessibility of reCAPTCHA.

What does this change mean for me as a website administrator?

You will not need to take any steps to add reCAPTCHA to forms you create using Form Center moving forward. Once we enable the functionality at the site level, all forms will utilize reCAPTCHA.

How will this change impact my residents?  

Your residents' ability to easily submit questions and requests to your administration will not be impacted in any way. When submitting a form, they will see the “Protected by reCAPTCHA” seal below, which should be familiar and comforting to most of your residents.

Will I be able to disable reCAPTCHA?

An enhancement is forthcoming to remove the ability for customers to disable reCAPTCHA to ensure forms are always utilizing reCAPTCHA to help prevent spammers.

Who can assist me with questions about this reCAPTCHA change?

Should you have any questions or need assistance, our CivicPlus Technical Support Team stands ready to assist you.