An estimated 40% of internet traffic now comes from bots. On paper, this is not really something that should bother us as, after all, bots play a useful role in managing and curating the internet. A search engine crawler, for example, will be employed by the likes of Google and Bing to index the web. The problem comes, however, when we encounter bots that purport to be humans. You’ll see this often on platforms like X/Twitter, with millions of bots being employed to promote spam or trick users into scams.
But the issue is broader than that, and it is one that has arguably not been given enough coverage in both the mainstream media and tech-focused media, especially since we are now firmly in the era of AI. OpenAI founder Sam Altman has been beating the drum, specifically with his Worldcoin project. There are many criticisms of Worldcoin, not least about privacy, but it is clear that Altman’s goal of a “network for verified humans” is an important one. He sees proof of personhood as a crucial part of the online landscape for years to come.
Bots can blight everything from poker rooms to dating platforms
We can point to countless examples of where this would be useful. Online poker rooms, for instance, have been fighting the bots issue for years, and, again, this is something that will be even more challenging with AI. Technically, you could train a GPT on optimum poker or blackjack strategy, then use the GPT to help you play online. Some of that would be seen as within the boundaries of ethics, such as using a GPT for a guide with players versus dealer blackjack. However, poker players, in particular, will wish to know that they are playing against a fellow human, and the bots pose a unique problem for those platforms.
We know that 2024 is the year of the election, with campaigns across the US, UK, France, India, and elsewhere. Bots’ role in amplifying content, posting misinformation, and manipulating online polls (a phenomenon of underrated impact) is coming under scrutiny. Other areas that can be highlighted include competitive gaming, eCommerce reviews, and dating platforms. Some of these may seem trivial, but they are indicative of a major transformation in our experiences of using the internet.
But if the problems are understood, what are the challenges to addressing them? Arguably, the first issue is that there is a reluctance for society to commit to meeting the challenge. Again, if we look at Worldcoin, several countries have already banned it on privacy. But more generally, there is an outcry whenever there is a call to prove your identity online, particularly on social media. The typical X or Reddit user craves anonymity, and it will take a lot to persuade them to part with that cover.
Blockchain technology may offer some solutions
Of course, Worldcoin is not alone in providing technical solutions, and certainly some are less controversial.
Many experts believe that Altman is on the right track, even if his methods aren’t universally supported. The idea of blockchain as an immutable ledger, for instance, is a good starting point for “proof of personhood”, and it would offer a way to do it without giving personal information over to a centralized authority. Jolocom is one example of a blockchain project that offers decentralized identity management. Simple smart contracts may also be employed on blockchains to distinguish humans from bots.
Yet, much of this requires a will to change a problem that is not universally recognized as being important. Most of us arguably still see bots as an annoyance rather than a major problem, but the key is that the solutions are at least entertained before the issue becomes an existential one to how we use the internet. And let’s be clear about it: if the challenge is left unmet, it will be an existential problem.
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