A bot (short for robot) is an automated software program that performs tasks on the internet, often mimicking human actions at much faster speeds. Helpful bots include search engine crawlers that index websites, chatbots that answer customer questions, and price comparison tools. Malicious bots include those that spread spam, attempt to hack accounts, manipulate social media metrics, or buy up concert tickets before humans can. Governments and platforms work to combat harmful bots while enabling beneficial automation. Understanding that bots exist helps citizens critically evaluate online information, as bot-generated content can artificially amplify certain messages or appear to be genuine human opinions.