Stopping Grinch Bots Act

Full Title:
Stopping Grinch Bots Act of 2025

Summary#

This bill would make it illegal to bypass security measures or other technological controls on internet websites or online services that enforce posted purchasing limits or manage inventory. It would also make it illegal to sell or offer for sale products obtained by such circumvention if the seller participated in or could control the circumvention or knew or should have known the product was acquired that way. The bill creates exceptions for software or systems used to investigate or enforce the rule, to defend against alleged violations, or to do computer security research that advances knowledge or helps develop security products. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would treat violations as unfair or deceptive acts or practices and use its existing powers under the FTC Act to enforce the rule. State attorneys general and other authorized state consumer protection officers may bring civil actions on behalf of residents, subject to notice rules to the FTC and coordination rules if the FTC brings its own action. The bill defines the Commission as the FTC and defines "posted" as clearly and conspicuously published on an internet website. The bill was introduced by Senator Richard Blumenthal on December 17, 2025, and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

What it means for you#

  • If you try to bypass a website's controls that limit purchases or manage stock, this bill would make that unlawful.
  • If you sell items that were obtained by bypassing those controls and you helped, controlled, or knew about the bypassing, you could face enforcement under the FTC Act.
  • Researchers and people working to investigate or defend against violations can use or build software for these purposes under the bill's exceptions.
  • The FTC would enforce the rule, and state officials can sue on behalf of residents.

Expenses#

No publicly available information about estimated costs, budgetary impacts, or fiscal notes appears in the bill text or provided metadata.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.