This has always been like that. You can download the current version JRE, either from java.com or https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk12

This has always been like that. You can download the current version JRE, either from java.com or https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk12-downloads-5295953.html https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk..., where you can get the binaries just by accepting the license agreement. The same holds for the current version JDK. For older versions, login has always been required. So please, don't spread FUD like this.