Tonko targets ‘Grinch bots’ from snatching holiday gifts online for resale
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LATHAM – Congressman Paul Tonko wants to stop the Grinch from stealing Christmas.
He’s not targeting a furry green creature from Whoville, but a robot.
Lawmakers in Washington are working to crack down on “cyber grinches,” who using bots to quickly snag popular holiday toys online and resell them at higher prices. That could make some of the items almost impossible to buy.
Tonko was joined by business owners in Latham to introduce the “Stopping Grinch Bots Act.”
The new law would ban bots that are bypassing security measures on online retail sites.
It’s not yet clear if the bill will move in time to save Christmas.
MORE INFORMATION: "Grinch Bots" legislation