Many people’s first exposure to bots came from so-called sneakerbots. Sneakerbots are used to scan websites for inventory and automatically complete the checkout process. Combined with proxy services that provide IP addresses and user agents to make them appear as legitimate customers, they can be an effective means to score Yeezy, Air Jordans and other highly desired, limited edition footwear. The use of sneakerbots has also been extended to other consumer goods (e.g., for the … Continue reading Proliferation of sneakerbots across industries: The long tail of DIY bot operators