It has been revealed that 76% of the approximately 120,000 public comments submitted to the government were fake responses from bots, raising suspicions that the bots were trying to prevent the regulation of e-cigarettes.
A UK government consultation on e-cigarette regulation found that 76% of 120,000 responses were fake bot submissions, mostly opposing regulation.Summary
A UK government public consultation in 2023 on reducing youth smoking and e-cigarette use received 118,756 responses, but 90,835 (approximately 76%) were fraudulent bot submissions from a small number of IP addresses. Almost all fake responses opposed banning disposable e-cigarettes, suggesting an attempt to manipulate policy by inflating opposition. After excluding bots, about 80% of valid responses supported regulation, showing that the bots significantly altered the balance of opinion. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh published the findings in Tobacco Control, noting this is likely the first confirmed large-scale bot intervention in a public health consultation. The perpetrators remain unidentified, and the government's bot detection methods are not public. The UK government excluded the fraudulent responses, and the ban on disposable e-cigarettes took effect on June 1, 2025. The Department of Health and Social Care said it will remain vigilant against similar interference in future consultations.
(Source：GIGAZINE)
