[ExI] The internet bot problem

[BillK]

Can humans purge the bots without sacrificing our privacy?
"Personhood" credentials could cleanse the internet of bots — but are
the costs worth it?
By Ross Pomeroy     November 30, 2024

<https://www.freethink.com/the-digital-frontier/personhood-credentials>
Quotes:
According to the 2024 Imperva Bad Bot Report, the proportion of
internet traffic generated by bots hit almost 50% this year, growing
2% from the year prior. It’s hard to get a handle on the share of
essentially fake websites, social media accounts, comments, reviews,
and emails being churned out by bots, but it is surely vast.

Personhood credentials to the rescue?
“To get a personhood credential, you are going to have to show up in
person or have a relationship with the government, like a tax ID
number,” Tobin South, a graduate student in MIT’s Media Lab and one of
the report’s authors, told MIT News.
While a PHC proves your humanity, it would not be identification —
users would maintain anonymity.
But there are genuine risks and challenges.
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Indeed, proving you are human will become increasingly difficult.
Even video calls and chats can now be done by bots.

BillK