The Rise of Bots and Evolving Law Create Traps for the Unwary

Users of automation technology, beware: The technology that improves performance and quality can also lead the unwary into legal hot water. Certain actions that are legal when undertaken by human hands may cross the line when turned over to “bots” (computer programs that mechanize repetitive tasks).

Rapid changes involving statutes like the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), which addresses computer hacking, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which addresses automated calls and text messaging, illustrate the importance of staying up-to-date on not only evolving technologies but also the laws that govern them.