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0 pointsbbor1y ago0 comments

Well, that's the meta-rub: if they're abusing, block abuse. Rate limits are far simpler, anyway!

In the interest of bringing the AI bickering to HN: I think one could accurately characterize "block bots just in case they choose to request too much data" as discrimination! Robots of course don't have any rights so it's not wrong, but it certainly might be unwise.

0 comments

inejge1y ago

> Rate limits are far simpler, anyway!

Not when the bots are actively programmed to thwart them by using far-flung IP address carousels, request pacing, spoofed user agents and similar techniques. It's open war these days.

parineum1y ago

Request pacing sounds intentionally unabusive.

j16sdiz1y ago

It is not bringing down your server, but they are taking 80%+ of your bandwidth budget. Does this count as abuse?

immibis1y ago

Are you at a hoster with extortionately expensive bandwidth, such as AWS, GCP, or Azure?

ithkuil1y ago

Isn't that what a rate limiter would address?

1 more reply

rollcat1y ago

It's called DDoS. DDoS is abusive.

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