Bot and spam protection that doesn't undermine the GDPR: SilentShield protects forms and logins invisibly — no captcha puzzles, no cookies, no data transfer to the US. Here's the honest comparison to Google reCAPTCHA.
reCAPTCHA can transmit data to Google LLC in the US — only permitted under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. US transfer, necessity and transparency remain contested.
reCAPTCHA checks and sets cookies and analyzes behavior (IP, mouse movements, keystrokes, device info) — across sites.
For compliant use you practically need consent or a cookie banner before reCAPTCHA loads.
Image puzzles (“click the traffic lights”) cost conversions and are a real barrier for some people (accessibility).
A captcha shifts the work onto your visitors: solve puzzles, tick boxes, wait. Each step costs conversions — and excludes people who can't solve the puzzles well.
SilentShield detects bots server-side from technical signals, without bothering users and without personal tracking. For real humans, a form stays just a form. Protection runs in the background, GDPR-compliant with EU hosting.
It can be used compliantly, but only with care: consent or a cookie banner, a correct privacy policy and weighing the US data transfer. From April 2026 use on a legitimate-interest basis (data processing) becomes easier — but concerns about US transfer, tracking and user experience remain. To avoid all that, use an alternative without cookies and without US transfer.
A solution that works without cookies and without data transfer to the US and doesn't bother users with puzzles. That's exactly what SilentShield is built for: invisible bot protection, EU hosting, GDPR-compliant.
Yes. Instead of making people solve puzzles, SilentShield checks technical signals of the request server-side and filters out automated access — invisible to real visitors.
No. SilentShield sets no cookies and tracks no behavior, so no cookie banner is needed for it.
Usually yes. SilentShield is integrated via a public key and replaces reCAPTCHA on forms, logins and comments. We help with the switch.
SilentShield is Forge12's own product (silentshield.io). You'll find current terms there — for integration into your WordPress/WooCommerce site, get in touch.