Public forms attract bots and scripted abuse. Heavy CAPTCHAs often hurt humans more than sophisticated attackers; layered, lightweight defences tend to work better.
- Always validate on the server; client checks are not enough.
- Rate limits per IP or session tame bursts.
- A hidden honeypot field catches naive bots.
- Clear success and error messaging builds trust.
Minimise fields and pair collection with transparent consent copy for privacy compliance.