Stopping Grinch Bots Act of 2025

Sponsor: Richard Blumenthal (Democratic-CT)December 17, 2025

AI-generated ?

Report an error

Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Bans automated bots that buy up popular products online

This bill would make it illegal to use automated programs, called "bots," to quickly buy up popular products online, past posted limits. It would also ban reselling products bought this way. This aims to give everyday shoppers a fairer chance to buy high-demand items.

What Would Change

Today, there is no specific federal law prohibiting the use of automated bots to bypass online retailers' security measures or purchasing limits, nor is there a specific federal prohibition against selling products acquired through such circumvention. If this bill passes, it would be illegal to use bots to bypass online purchasing limits or inventory controls, and to sell products obtained this way, with federal and state agencies able to take legal action.

Key Provisions

Bans using automated bots to get around online store purchasing limits or inventory controls.
Blocks people from selling products they got by using these bots, especially if they knew how the products were acquired.
Lets the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) take action against those who break these rules.
Allows state attorneys general and other state consumer protection officers to sue on behalf of their residents.
Exempts law enforcement, security researchers, and computer security developers from these rules when doing their work.

View on Congress.gov

S 3516 · 119th Congress · December 17, 2025 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 9/10

Stopping Grinch Bots Act of 2025

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity