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by jhoelzel 1448 days ago
if a bot creates the account, who breaches the contract?
1 comments

The person who ran the bot. Programs do not have agency, they are just tools.

That's like saying "If the gun fires the bullet, who is liable for murder?" It's a silly question.

> That's like saying "If the gun fires the bullet, who is liable for murder?" It's a silly question.

I don't know I've seen several people unironically argue that it should be the gun's manufacturer.

Probably should also add "successfully", there's a reason NYPD had/has guns that require 12 pounds of force to pull the trigger (instead of a normal ~5 lbs).
Software that exclusively has illegitimate uses has been shut down. Whether we agree that it is a good argument or not, it is definitely an argument people have made (that some types of guns are mainly designed to hurt people).

With software of course it is a little complicated because:

* it can be produced really easily in a distributed fashion over the internet by anonymous people in many jurisdictions, so there isn't always an obvious company or entity to sue

* most automation tools can be repurposed for malicious use (nobody would sue John Deere because their tractors can be armored and turned into pseudo-tank things)