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Offence of using undisclosed bot to mislead or influence election or referendum
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167. (1) Any person who knowingly uses a bot, or causes a bot to be used, in such a way as to generate multiple online presences that—
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(a) are directed towards influencing the result of an election or referendum,
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(b) are designed or intended to mislead persons as to the bot’s artificial identity, or
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(c) may cause public harm,
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shall be guilty of an offence.
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(2) It shall be a defence in proceedings for an offence under this section for a person to show that the use of the bot concerned was disclosed in a manner that was clear, conspicuous and reasonably designed to inform persons with whom the bot interacted or communicated or was intended to interact or communicate that it was a bot.
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(3) A person found guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—
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(a) on summary conviction, to a class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both, or
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(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to both.
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