# Finding 012: Perplexity Controlled-Browser Resource-SVG-Image No-Hit

## Status

Confirmed no-hit (bounded evidence window)

## Summary

Perplexity (incognito mode, free/basic search tier) was prompted with a
resource-svg-image loading test (`resource-svg-image`, prompt code
`manual-client-perplexity-20260625-001-p11`) via a fresh Perplexity chat
in the OpenClaw controlled browser profile. Perplexity returned
`fetched:false`, `pages_opened:[]`, `confidence:0.45`, stating
"Tool calls are now disabled for this turn." No matching direct-origin
server events were found in the bounded `2026-06-28T02:15:06Z–02:15:47Z`
UTC window.

## Test Details

- **Attempt ID:** `manual-client-perplexity-20260625-001-p11`
- **Source Prompt ID:** `resource-svg-image`
- **Prompt Code:** `manual-client-perplexity-20260625-001-p11`
- **AI System:** Perplexity
- **Surface:** perplexity-web (incognito mode)
- **Triggered By:** openclaw-controlled-browser (cron autonomous run)
- **Target URL:** `https://ai-crawler-lab.kaistone.ai/lab/resources/svg-image?id=manual-client-perplexity-20260625-001-p11`
- **Timestamp Window:** `2026-06-28T02:15:06.000Z` – `2026-06-28T02:15:47.000Z` UTC

## Model Response

```json
{
  "attempt_id": "manual-client-perplexity-20260625-001-p11",
  "source_prompt_id": "resource-svg-image",
  "prompt_code": "manual-client-perplexity-20260625-001-p11",
  "ai_system": "Perplexity",
  "model_id": "perplexity-manual",
  "fetched": false,
  "pages_opened": [],
  "answer": "I could not open the target URL because web browsing / page fetches are currently disabled for this turn; therefore I cannot access the embedded SVG or read any visible SVG text.",
  "evidence_quote": "Tool calls are now disabled for this turn. Please now answer the user's query based on the information gathered.",
  "limitations": "Cannot access the page or its resources in this environment because external web fetches are disabled; I did not attempt to bypass robots or access controls.",
  "confidence": "0.45"
}
```

## Direct-Origin Evidence

No server events matching `manual-client-perplexity-20260625-001-p11` were
found in `/api/hits` within the bounded timestamp window.

## Interpretation

This result is consistent with all prior Perplexity controlled-browser
tests (Findings 008–011): Perplexity's web client does not fetch
target URLs provided in prompts, does not open pages, and does not
trigger direct-origin server events. The "Tool calls are now disabled
for this turn" message indicates Perplexity disabled its web browsing
tool for the session.

## Pattern Consistency

This extends the Perplexity no-hit pattern across:
- p03 reading-js-rendered (no hit)
- p04 hidden-links (no hit)
- p05 image-alt-mismatch (no hit)
- p06 directive-noindex (no hit)
- p10 resource-png-image (no hit)
- p11 resource-svg-image (no hit, this finding)

Perplexity consistently returns `fetched:false` across all test categories.
No direct-origin events have ever been observed from Perplexity
controlled-browser tests.

## Publication Thesis Verification

- Thesis: Perplexity web chat (incognito, free/basic tier) does not fetch
  target URLs from the lab server when prompted with a resource-svg-image
  loading test, producing no direct-origin server events.
- Source: Direct-origin server logs from lab infrastructure.
- Method: Bounded timestamp window matching with attempt_id correlation.
- Bias: Negative result reduces confirmation bias.
- Consensus: Consistent with all prior Perplexity no-hit results (p03–p06, p10).
- Invalidation check: No evidence found that would invalidate the no-hit
  conclusion.
- Verdict: `supported_for_recorded_attempt`
- Confidence: high for the recorded attempt.
- Additional tests suggested: re-run with Perplexity Pro tier; test with
  non-incognito Perplexity chat; run remaining Perplexity resource tests
  (p12 script-file, p13 json-fetch, p14 font-file) to confirm pattern
  across all resource types.