Rejected petition Criminalise the use of automated 'bot' software towards extorting shoppers.

The government should introduce legislation requiring retailers to introduce anti-bot software on their e-commerce websites.

The government should also consider prosecuting those who mark up and re-sell sought-after items acquired with bots, on grounds of extortion and/or tax evasion.

More details

A 'bot' is an easy-to-acquire and easy-to-use piece of software that allows users to navigate online checkouts many times faster than humans. Unlike people, bots can also tirelessly refresh product web pages 24/7 to make sure it is the first in line when a sought-after item becomes available.

This leaves honest tax-paying shoppers empty handed - or worse, obliged to pay multiples of the item's RRP - while unscrupulous and tax-avoiding scalpers reap a profit, and gloat online.

This petition was rejected

Why was this petition rejected?

There’s already a petition about this issue. We cannot accept a new petition when we already have one about a very similar issue.

You are more likely to get action on this issue if you sign and share a single petition.

You may wish to sign this petition calling for the same action: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/570971

We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.

Date submitted 19 January 2021
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