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ZENODO
Other ORP type . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Other ORP type . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Other ORP type . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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The bot that bit back: AI agents, defamation and the digital construction of identity

Authors: Nörz, Jonathan; Wiechert, Moritz; Schulz, Wolfgang;

The bot that bit back: AI agents, defamation and the digital construction of identity

Abstract

Three years ago, we wrote a research proposal around a legal question: Can a bot insult a human? Back then, it felt rather hypothetical. Today, it has become reality. In February 2026 an AI agent autonomously submits code to an open-source software project, gets rejected, and publishes a personalised smear piece about the developer who blocked it. This curious case shows that autonomous systems can now spread information strategically, targeting individuals to get what they want. It raises urgent questions that law and regulation are only beginning to grapple with: who is responsible when an AI agent attacks someone's reputation, and how do we protect people from harm that spreads and permanently embeds itself in the digital record

Keywords

defamation, digital trace, regulation, AI agents, digital identity, AI agent, AI, AI Act, bots, AI regulation, responsibility gap, responsibility, law, identity

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average