Re:Breaking the Open Web Won't Stop the Bad Bots
by Spivak on Monday November 02, 2026 @04:49PM
(#50344329)
I mean it's great that you have a long and idealistic wishlist that interestingly implies that journalists ought to be allowed to break into buildings and offices but you do realize that this law changes nothing on your list, right? The reason stealth residential proxies are even a thing is because companies already do literally everything you wish in that list they wouldn't.
It's bananas that for some reason sketchy "vpn" apps that let even sketchier people bypass bans is the hill you want to die on. This hole was always going to get plugged the minute it attracted any kind of significant notice and entitled AI companies run by libertarian nutjobs hammering sites ruined it for everyone. The bill you want is one of non-discrimination and I think we both know the powers that be will never let that pass—we still don't even have net neutrality.
I want to live in your world, especially the bit where journalists are sanctioned super spies, but this isn't the road. To use your idealism people shouldn't have to use a weird proxy system to access websites in the manner they please.
It's bananas that for some reason sketchy "vpn" apps that let even sketchier people bypass bans is the hill you want to die on. This hole was always going to get plugged the minute it attracted any kind of significant notice and entitled AI companies run by libertarian nutjobs hammering sites ruined it for everyone. The bill you want is one of non-discrimination and I think we both know the powers that be will never let that pass—we still don't even have net neutrality.
I want to live in your world, especially the bit where journalists are sanctioned super spies, but this isn't the road. To use your idealism people shouldn't have to use a weird proxy system to access websites in the manner they please.