For the uninitiated, Grinch bots are bots that act a lot like the character from the Christmas story by that name. They constantly monitor and scrape sites for information on prices and inventory of popular Christmas gifts, then buy them all at once to be resold later at inflated prices. It’s impossible for a human being to keep up with them, leading consumers to overpay or miss out.
A group of legislators in Congress is on a mission to put an end to the Grinch bots’ nefarious practices. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., along with senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., recently introduced the Stopping Grinch Bots Act for the second year in a row.
“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,” said Tonko. “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 holiday.”
