Stopping Grinch Bots Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
Introduced
Summary
Bans bot-driven circumvention of online purchase limits and would make it illegal to bypass website security measures or to sell items obtained by such bypass.
Show full summary
- Consumers could see fairer access to limited items because software that evades posted purchase caps would be unlawful.
- Resellers and bot operators would be barred from using or selling products acquired by bypassing online controls. Violations would be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission with the penalties available under the FTC Act.
- Security researchers and enforcement teams get narrow exceptions to run software for investigations or to study vulnerabilities that advance computer security or help build security products.
- States can sue to stop violations and recover damages for residents but must notify the FTC before filing and allow FTC intervention.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New limits on online buying bots
If enacted, this bill would make it illegal to use software or other technology to bypass a website's posted purchase limits or inventory controls. It would also ban selling across state lines items bought by bypassing those controls when the seller helped, could control the bypass, or knew (or should have known) the item was acquired that way. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the rule using its usual powers and penalties, and state attorneys general could sue on behalf of residents. States would generally need to notify the FTC at least 10 days before filing, and the FTC could intervene or appeal. The bill would not block narrowly defined security research or software used to investigate or defend alleged violations, but those exceptions are limited to improving computer security or legal investigations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov