The bot situation on the internet is worse than you could imagine

gladeart.com
March 29, 2026
1 min read
59/100
Summary
The prevalence of bots on the internet is significantly higher than previously estimated, with many websites being heavily influenced by automated scripts. These bots can engage in various activities, including spamming, scraping data, and manipulating online interactions, leading to distorted user experiences.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · gladeart.com
Community discussions
Community Sentiment
Positives
- The implementation of PoW mechanisms like Anubis has proven effective in significantly reducing unwanted bot traffic, showcasing a practical solution to a growing problem.
- Experimental data on the effectiveness of Anubis provides valuable insights, moving beyond anecdotal evidence and helping to inform future strategies against bots.
Concerns
- The current measures against bots are inadvertently hindering legitimate AI applications, as many sites block access to content that AI assistants need for tasks like price checking.
- The uncertainty surrounding bot detection leads to frustration, as users feel they are being treated like bots themselves, complicating their online experience.
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