Anti-Scalping bill proposed by Democrats

[Gizmo_Duck]

A group of Democrats are introducing the “Stopping Grinch Bots Act”, a proposal with an incredibly stupid name that is aimed at preventing (or at least curtailing) the use of bots to snatch up stocks of goods from online retailers. Something many of you trying to get PS5s and new graphics cards have been struggling with mightily over the last 18 months.

The Stopping Grinch Bots Act has the support of groups like Consumer Reports, Consumer Federation of America and the National Consumer League. Its ties to Christmas are odd, as is the bill’s focus on families and kids, with Schumer saying “The average holiday shopper is unable to compete with the light speed of the all-too-common Grinch bot and are then held at ransom by scalpers and third-party resellers when trying to buy holiday presents.”


This is a year-round problem that affects everyone! From PlayStations to Jordans to Nvidia cards to movie tickets. Pinning the whole thing on the holidays might be an attempt to appeal to lawmaker’s sensibilities, but it’s also doing a disservice to the scale of the problem.

This sounds kinda lit but anti-american.

 

[FaTaL]

The scalpers will still do it

 

[ORDER_66]

 

[-DMP-]

 

[killacal]

Bot'in ain't an army it's a navy

 

[NoMayo15]

This is 100% valid and needed (especially as shortages start to worsen), but leave it to the contrian "both sides" peeps to find fault in this.

Who cares what it's called, just get it done.

 

[JQ Legend]

I wish everyone would stop supporting these bots by not buying anything till they can get it retail

Crazy shyt is even retail stores like Walmart trying to capitalize, selling PS5 for over a stack

 

[breakfuss]

I probably read the press release 5x and don't understand how they intend to implement or enforce this. Something obviously needs to be done about the bots but what is being proposed? How the fukk do you catch a bot . It's like telling folks not to pirate music and movies - it's illegal, yea, but watchu gonna do about it? But I'm all for the govt wanting to crack down on this. The situation sets a scary precedent outside of just toys and video games.

 

[#1 pick]

I probably read the press release 5x and don't understand how they intend to implement or enforce this. Something obviously needs to be done about the bots but what is being proposed? How the fukk do you catch a bot . It's like telling folks not to pirate music and movies - it's illegal, yea, but watchu gonna do about it? But I'm all for the govt wanting to crack down on this. The situation sets a scary precedent outside of just toys and video games.

Laws usually is what you do about it

 

[breakfuss]

Laws usually is what you do about it

 

[xXMASHERXx]

This is 100% valid and needed (especially as shortages start to worsen), but leave it to the contrian "both sides" peeps to find fault in this.

Who cares what it's called, just get it done.

No it's not. There are ways for companies to combat bots if they really wanted to but they don't. And if people didn't buy from scalpers, there wouldn't be a market for it. We have real issues that need to be addressed not being able to buy a PS5 is not one of them

 

[Pressure]

No it's not. There are ways for companies to combat bots if they really wanted to but they don't. And if people didn't buy from scalpers, there wouldn't be a market for it. We have real issues that need to be addressed not being able to buy a PS5 is not one of them

This bill isn't being made specifically for Playstations, Stanley.

 

[xXMASHERXx]

This bill isn't being made for Playstations, Stanley.

I use that as the example since that is what they mentioned. Doesn't change the fact that the bill is trash.

 

[Pressure]

I use that as the example since that is what they mentioned. Doesn't change the fact that the bill is trash.

Let me guess. You're a "resaler" .

 

[humminbird]

I guarantee eBay is trying to lobby this bill as we speak
It would kill their business
Not that i care anyway
A better bill would be to force selling sites to put a price cap on items
Can’t be over 50 on the retail price or something like that
It would kill the whole culture and they would be forced to go to Craigslist or sketchy sites
The bot isn’t the problem the motivation behind their use is
I would love a bot that just buys 1 item for me when it’s available. But old politicians are going to attack tech when they can