RE: Operation Clean Trending
If I had to solve a captcha or enact a 2FA just to vote, I would not just stop voting, I would leave the platform, as it will have turned into a horrendous nightmare of a user interface. I really don't think what you are proposing sounds like a workable solution.
If anything, it would create a situation where the cleverest bot writers would gain a significant monopoly (perhaps attaching the 2fa to an automated sms responder, or the captcha to a web faucet), whilst simultaneously drastically reducing the number of votes from actual humans.
It would also create significant centralisation of user interfaces, by introducing significant barriers to interface designers, be they web interfaces like busy, dtube or utopian, or mobile apps like esteem. Chainbb has already called it quits, how many more projects would collapse if such a significant barrier to entry was introduced?
You are quite correct in your criticisms.
I also point out that I would sooner expect the pope to convert to Islam than I would expect Stinc to seek to limit votebots. It's their bread and butter.
Yet, the alternative is the eventual destruction of any socially redeeming value Steemit has. Bots suck the value of upvotes out of the users and increasingly concentrate it in the accounts of whales.
This is ongoing, but there is a limit to how much longer it can go on. Presently Steemit has a ~10% YOY retention rate for accounts. 90% of users give up before a year is out.
The bots are getting worse, and making the problems that are already insoluble for 90% of folks worse.
Bots or people. Steemit can live without bots, but it cannot without people.
While I mentioned captchas and 2fa, I am no specialist in botproofing, and others may have better ideas on how to manage it.
As to impediments to additional interfaces to the blockchain, again, you are correct. These impediments aren't necessarily insoluble. Impediments aren't roadblocks or unbridgeable chasms. Dunno why Chainbb gave up, so can't comment. 90% of new accounts gave up too, though, and that might be why.
Even without you, as long as the bots were gone, Steemit would be a better place.
I'd miss you though!
A bad user interface would drive everyone away, not just me. No-one wants to face a capture every time they click 'like', leave a comment or make a post. I understand your concern about the platform, indeed I share it. I just define it in different terms. To me the problem is not bots verses humans, but good actors verses bad actors. Both sides have bots and humans. I think we need more bot good actors to use downvoting to counter the bot (and human) bad actors. It is a bot arms race and downvoting is the weapon good actors have to discourage bad faith actors.
I can appreciate your sentiment regarding good and bad actors on the platform. Or anywhere.
Unfortunately, people are facing an existential evolution in automation, and bots of any kind being afforded human social value are going to necessarily be intolerable. For various reasons you can discern for yourself by considering Moore's Law applied to AI, bots cannot be allowed to compete with people in society. I parse the reason for this principle as people are sacred (even when profane), and bots mundane.
Even good bots open the door to bots that are less good, and in time this effects bad bots through the door, and where AI is going, society cannot tolerate that.
It may seem trivial today, but it won't soon.
Bots aren't the one flaw in Steemit. Getting rid of bots won't make Steemit perfect, Steem moon, and terrorists surrender. It is necessary to prevent bots from voting on Steemit all the same, as they will preclude actual human society eventually if allowed.
I reckon stake-weighting is far more harmful, and without it, there'd be little reason for votebots. Dealing with that would buy us time to deal with bots.
Like I said, I dunno what the solution is, only that if we don't get one, Steemit will eventually be destroyed. Bots can't be allowed to vote on Steemit much longer if Steemit is to survive.