Originally Posted by
videogameschrnicle
A group of US Democrats have introduced a new bill in the hope that it will ban the use of bots to scalp high-value items including games consoles.
The ‘Stopping Grinch Bots Act’ is being introduced by Representative Paul Tonko, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Ben Ray Luján, and is designed to crack down on bot technology.
Bots work by automatically notifying users when high value items come in stock at retailers, before circumventing any wait times, adding items to their cart and then completing the checkout process, giving users a huge advantage over regular consumers.
These kinds of tools aren’t new: collectors of sneakers and tickets sometimes use automated tools for identifying restocks. However, gaming’s sharp rise in popularity during the pandemic has reportedly seen bots specifically used to target consoles.
It’s hoped that the new bill will be signed into law, as was the Better Online Ticket Sales Act, which was introduced by Tonko, Blumenthal and Schumer in 2016 to make it illegal to use bots to buy event tickets.
The new legislation, if passed, would apply a similar ban to online retail sites, making it illegal to use bots to buy up stock as soon as it’s made available.
“At a time when families should be able to spend time with their loved ones, digital ‘Grinch bots’ are forcing Americans to scour online sites in the hopes of finding an affordable gift or paying exorbitant prices for a single toy,” Tonko said in a statement.
“These bots don’t just squeeze consumers, they pose a problem for small businesses, local retailers and other entrepreneurs trying to ensure they have the best items in stock for their customers.
“Our Grinch Bots Act works to level the playing field and prevent scalpers from sucking hardworking parents dry this holiday season. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation immediately to stop these Grinch bots from stealing the holidays.”
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