spambots

Definition

Automated software programs designed to scan the internet for email addresses to send unsolicited, often commercial or malicious, bulk messages.

Etymology

The word is a portmanteau of 'spam' (unsolicited junk mail, named after the canned meat brand due to a Monty Python sketch) and 'bot' (an abbreviation of 'robot', originating from the Czech word 'robota', meaning forced labor).

In the news

The term appears at the end of the article as a technical note, indicating that the author's contact email is shielded by software to prevent automated scrapers from collecting it.

Addressing AI concerns is a step in the right direction

Graphic Online

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