In this month’s episode, we start by focusing on the real-world impact of bots (scripts used to automate tasks and exploit business logic). In the UK, bots are being used to book up every available driving test before reselling them for profit; meanwhile in the US, gig workers delivering groceries are losing out to bots that hoard the most profitable delivery jobs. Our panel explains how this happens and discusses what can be done to stop it.

Meanwhile, the social media landscape is shifting rapidly. Free, unlimited access to APIs has become a thing of the past for users and businesses reliant on Twitter and Reddit. Fake accounts are still a looming problem across platforms, forcing the much-hyped IRL to close permanently. Are social media businesses taking the right approach to data scraping, fake account creation and access to their services, and will Meta’s Threads disrupt the industry?

Finally, we take a fresh look at ticket scalping considering legislative measures taken by the State of Victoria for Taylor Swift’s tour in Australia. Will it be enough to deter the touts?

Host

Dani Middleton-Wren – Head of Media, Netacea

Dani is a cybersecurity writer and marketing specialist, who strives to decipher the mysteries behind complex cybersecurity subjects and deliver them to a wide audience. Since joining Netacea in 2019, Dani has used her experience in journalism and analyst relations to create compelling external communication strategies that effectively articulate the threat of automated attacks.

Panel

Matthew Gracey-McMinn – Head of Threat Research, Netacea

Matthew is an experienced Cyber Threat Intelligence professional with an MPhil from the University of Oxford. In his current role at Netacea, he researches and investigates the impact of malicious bots on online businesses and their customers.

Chris Collier – Head of Solution Engineering, Netacea

Chris is an experienced technical manager who joined Netacea in 2021. Since this time, he’s helped countless clients onboard with our bot management product, ensuring they get a solution that fits their business needs and integrates with their existing platforms.

Paulina Cakalli – Lead Data Analyst, Netacea

Paulina works closely with Netacea's Data Science and Threat Research teams to develop new models for detecting anomalous web traffic, combining this with machine learning to produce recommendations for clients. She is a rising star in the world of data science, encouraging other women to enter STEM careers via various international speaking opportunities. She is co-founder of BSides Tirana, an international security conference. She received her masters' degree in mathematics and informatics engineering at the University of Tirana, where she was later an assistant lecturer.