Meaning of bots (what are they, concept and definition)

What are Bots:

Bot is the shortened robot word. It refers to a type of autonomous computer program that is capable of carrying out specific tasks and imitating human behavior.

Bots can be designed in any programming language. They work in networks, especially on the internet, and can interact with other systems or users. They can perform multiple functions: edit texts, moderate conversations, answer questions, send emails, among many others.

Today they are used to perform various tasks on very popular platforms, such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

The word bot, as such, was first recorded in the 1960s as robot apheresis in computer jargon. In Spanish we can write it without italics and without any other type of highlighting.

Bots in video games

Bots in video games are those programs specially designed to behave like a player and interact and compete with other human players. In this sense, its quality is determined by its ability to win in the game. CRPGs or computer role-playing games are particularly well known, that is, bots specifically designed to participate in computer role-playing games .

Malicious bots

Bots can also be used to perform malicious tasks, which can range from cyber attacks, to fraud, theft, spamming, and the spread of viruses. For this reason, the use of bots imposes the need to establish certain ethical limits regarding their programming and their functions. Hence, some sites have very strict rules for the use of bots. This can be verified, for example, in many of the companies that offer email service, such as Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail, which, among their requirements to open an account, require writing the characters that are presented in a specially designed graphic. to verify that you are human and not a bot.