Are bots allowed to be used on Steemit? According to the Steemit Terms of Service?
While researching for my recent post about downvote censorship on steemit, I read the terms of service for Steemit and found some interesting points that I need clarified..
Firstly, there doesn't appear to be anyone actively enforcing the terms anyway, so I'm not sure they are even relevant. I read a comment recently that said words to the effect of "No-one ever agreed to the terms, so they are unenforceable".... It has been a while since I created an account on Steemit, but isn't the signup process just like other websites, where the Terms are agreed to on signup? Usually, a TOS document is exactly that - rules for receiving the service of the website and are essentially agreed to just by using the website.
What does the TOS say about (ro)bots?
- User Conduct
17.1. When accessing or using the Services, you agree that you will not commit any unlawful act, and that you are solely responsible for your conduct while using our Services. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you agree that you will not:
17.1.3. Use any robot, spider, crawler, scraper or other automated means or interface not provided by us to access our Services or to extract data;
So.. Doesn't that imply that bots are banned, unless they are made by the creators of Steemit? I'd say that is what is being said here - does anyone have any input to clarify the situation?
thanks!
Wishing you well,
Ura Soul
Steemit T-shirts, Hoodies and Many Other Steemit Inspired Products are On Sale Now
Buy your "Steemit, Dreamit, Memeit, Teamit" T-Shirts, Gifts & Other Clothing Here.
Nice one, Upvoted & Followed you.
Thanks!
Good post, Vote.
Thankyou!
@ura-soul got you a $0.92 @minnowbooster upgoat, nice! (Image: pixabay.com)
Want a boost? Click here to read more!
I can't answer your question but if the bots are like the one in the picture I WANT ONE. Good question though, good question.
hehe, well - to be honest, these ones look just like a standard PC - the image here is just PR for Robots :)
Haha that's true.. Did we agree to any terms and conditions when joining? I can't remember lol..
I've just woke up and still a little foggy, but in my present state I'd say bots are forbidden on steemit.
Maybe I'll see things different after a coffee or 2 :-)
I'm not sure if controlled or banned are the desired outcomes for bots?
They appear to be very widely used - in ways that are obvious to the passing eye, and probably more worrying, ways that are not obvious.
As well as automated bots, there is clearly widespread use of 'human bots'. There seems to be a plague of repeated one line comments on many post - great post, nice photo, good story etc etc. Are these bots - who knows?
I am still too noob to understand all the workings of steemit but I do fear it may be consumed by bots if there is not some control of them soon.
I think the text you quoted does ban bots. But as Andrew Jackson once observed about the Supreme Court, "[they] have made their decision. Now let them enforce it."
There seems to be consensus that bots cannot be effectively prevented, nor that multiple accounts might, either, so both are considered just the background in which we interact.
I am reminded that whatever is not banned, is mandatory.
bots are banned on most big websites by a variety of methods - the most common one being the challenge method of asking users who appear to be bots to complete a test that a bot will not easily be able to complete.. an "are you human" test - as used by google and many others. there are other methods too.
The website I suppose could use a captcha. Not really sure though Steemit is described as 'decentralized', which would present possibly difficulties. I dunno.
This post has received a 3.30 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @ura-soul.
Well it seems like the T&C changed because those statements that you mentioned in this article are not there anymore..