Bot-Killers Will Kill the Internet

As bots learn to mimic human behavior, platforms widen bot-detection rules and raise verification hurdles, generating false positives that lock out ordinary users. The anti-bot 'human test' becomes so onerous that normal participation, onboarding, and small-scale commerce break down. The cure—automated bot-killing—begins to damage the patient more than the disease. — If anti-bot defenses push platforms toward pervasive identity checks and high friction, debates over speech, privacy, and access will shift from moderation to authentication governance.