The Rise of Bots: Shaping Digital Influence Behind the Scenes

“Bad Bot” certainly sounds like a kids cartoon but the reality is not a laughing matter as bad bots -- software applications that perform automated tasks with malicious intent -- now make up a third of all internet traffic.

Most of us might not know it but bots, both good and bad, are the hidden influencers of the digital world with Imperva’s 2024 Bad Bot Report finding that if statistical trends continue in 2025, there will be less human traffic on the internet than bot traffic.

“Combined, 49.6 percent of all internet traffic in 2023 wasn’t human, as human traffic levels decreased to 50.4 percent of all traffic,” said the Imperva report. “From 2019 to 2023, bad bot traffic steadily increased, reaching 32 percent of total internet traffic in 2023 – the highest ever.”

While good bots make our digital lives better, performing tasks such as search engine indexing, website performance monitoring, and customer service chatbots, bad bots are becoming increasingly sophisticated at extracting data from websites without permission to facilitate everything from competitive advantages to outright cybercrime.

“Welcome to the age of the blob internet, a time in which the world wide web is overrun by bots automated to spam us, imitate us and ensure that we are all stuck picking fire hydrants from six different images just to read an article like this one,” wrote Andrew Irvin and Marai Pia Dunne in Tech Xplore. “Bots proliferate like a gray goo of information and are tricky to detect. They can make it impossible for you to book a ticket to see your favorite band or they can pose as a friendly customer service agent.”

In 2025 these automated programs are poised to influence internet traffic at greater levels, bringing both opportunities and challenges that will redefine how we interact with each other.

The Rise of Bots: A Digital Revolution

By 2025, bots are expected to account for over 50 percent of all internet traffic, which might seem like a significant milestone, but bots actually accounted for almost 60 percent of internet traffic in 2014, according to Imperva data.

The difference was that a decade ago, good bot traffic spiked to 36.3 percent of traffic as search engine indexing reached a new plateau. At the time, bad bot activity accounted for just 22.8 percent of traffic.

Today, bad bot traffic (32 percent) is almost double good bot traffic (17.8 percent).

Bots, or Internet bots, are software applications that run automated tasks over the Internet. They perform a wide array of functions, from simple and repetitive tasks like web crawling to more complex operations that mimic human behavior.

The history of bots dates to the late 1980s, with some of the earliest examples emerging alongside Internet Relay Chat (IRC) in 1988. These early bots provided automated services and helped maintain channel activity.

As the Internet evolved, so did bots. The first web crawler, aptly named WebCrawler, was created in 1994, laying the groundwork for search engines like Google. Today, bots have become ubiquitous, performing tasks ranging from customer service to data collection and analysis.

Bots 2.0: The New Generation

Modern bots are a far cry from their simple predecessors.

Powered by advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, today's bots are becoming increasingly sophisticated and human-like in their interactions.

This evolution has blurred the lines between human and automated communication, creating both opportunities and challenges.

The distinction between "good" and "bad" bots is crucial in understanding their impact.

Good bots, typically created by reputable companies, perform helpful tasks and respect website rules defined in robots.txt files. They include search engine crawlers, customer service chatbots, and price comparison tools.

“Not all bots found on the internet are bad,” explains Imperva. “[Good] bots are essential for online businesses, allowing potential customers to easily find and access their websites, products, and services.”

Bad bots, on the other hand, are designed with malicious intent, often used for cyberattacks, fraud, or spreading misinformation.

The Dark Side of Bots: Risks and Threats

The proliferation of sophisticated bots poses significant risks across various domains:

• Elections: Bots can be used to spread political propaganda, manipulate public opinion, and interfere with democratic processes.
• Conspiracy Theories: Automated accounts can rapidly disseminate false information, fueling the spread of conspiracy theories and misinformation.
• Cybercrime: Malicious bots are increasingly used for account takeovers, data breaches, and other forms of cybercrime.
• Economic Impact: Bot-driven activities like ticket scalping, inventory hoarding, and price scraping can disrupt markets and harm businesses.

Countermeasures: The Battle Against Bots

To combat the rising tide of malicious bots, various countermeasures are being developed and implemented:

• AI and Machine Learning: Advanced algorithms are being employed to detect and counter increasingly sophisticated bots. These systems analyze behavior patterns, traffic sources, and other indicators to distinguish between human and bot activity.
• Behavioral Analysis: By studying user interactions, security systems can identify suspicious patterns indicative of bot activity.
• Multi-layered Security: Combining multiple security measures, including CAPTCHAs, multi-factor authentication, and IP reputation analysis, creates a more robust defense against bot attacks.

Government Action: Regulating the Bot Landscape

Recognizing the growing influence of bots, governments are taking steps to regulate their use and protect consumers:

• California Bot Disclosure Law: This pioneering legislation requires bots to disclose their artificial nature when interacting with consumers, promoting transparency in online interactions.
• FTC Guidelines on AI Chatbots: The Federal Trade Commission has issued guidelines to ensure AI-powered chatbots are transparent, protect user data, and avoid deceptive practices.

These regulations aim to create a more transparent and secure online environment, where users can make informed decisions about their digital interactions.

Industry Response: Securing the Digital Frontier

Businesses across various sectors are allocating more resources to secure their digital assets against bot-driven threats:

• Enhanced API Security: With 44 percent of account takeover attacks now targeting API endpoints, companies are investing in robust API security measures.
• Advanced Bot Management: Organizations are implementing sophisticated bot management solutions that use machine learning and behavioral analysis to differentiate between legitimate and malicious bot activity.
• Collaboration with Cybersecurity Firms: Many businesses are partnering with specialized cybersecurity companies to leverage their expertise in bot detection and mitigation.
• Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation: As bot technologies evolve, companies are adopting more dynamic security approaches, continuously updating their defenses to address new threats.

The Future of Bot Mitigation

As we move towards a bot-dominated internet, the strategies for managing and mitigating bot-related risks will continue to evolve.

“The future of bot mitigation lies in the development of AI-powered security solutions that can adapt to new threats in real-time. These solutions will leverage deep learning and advanced analytics to stay ahead of malicious bots,” said the Boston Institute of Analytics. “Collaboration between industries will be crucial in the fight against AI bots. Sharing threat intelligence and best practices can help organizations stay informed and prepared for evolving bot threats.”

As bots become the hidden influencers of the digital world, our approach to online interactions, security, and regulation must evolve.

The future of the internet will be shaped by our ability to ensure that the digital world remains a space for human creativity, connection, and innovation, even as bots play an increasingly significant role.