This happens all the time. You’re on AIM, Skype, whatever you kids are using these days, and here comes a ping from some heavily made-up young lady you don’t know with a multi-numbered generic name. Most of us ignore or block these, because clearly someone called SexxiGurl087421 is a bot, right? Not Clive Thompson. He decided to have some fun–perhaps not the kind that requires a credit card, but definitely the useful, “get this bot to STFU” variety.
(If one of you are actually named SexxiGurl087421, my sincerest apologies. Also, change your screen name. You look like a bot in that getup.) Continue reading
