US Lawmakers Want To Prohibit Bots From Scalping High Demand Goods

Have you ever tried to buy something that was limited in supply but high in demand? We’re talking about things that might have a limited run like collectibles, or products that are so high in demand that suppliers simply can’t keep up, like Sony’s PS5 consoles. If you have, then you might have experienced the frustrations involved in trying to buy them.

This is because there are a lot of scalpers online who use bots who will essentially spam these websites trying to snap up every available unit possible, and then resell them online for about 2-3 times the original asking price. Now it looks like US lawmakers have decided to do something about it with a new bill called the “Stopping Grinch Bots Act”.

The bill, introduced by Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), wants to make it so that scalpers will not be able to use bots to snap up products online and make it unfair for regular customers looking to shop normally.

According to Tonko, “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.”

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: Legal