Q: Is it illegal to host a paid service that manipulates Amazon.com's search algorithms by having bots create accounts?
The bots will perform tasks with the accounts
A:
You have to look at your provider agreements --all the stuff you signed saying "I accept" involved in the chain of your site.
Whether your internet is provided by Mozilla or Google or others they all have user agreements. Willing to bet buried in there may be something to prevent bot type activities especially account creation. You want to watch it because if you run afoul of Homeland Security regs your investigator will be from the FBI, you will have major searches especially for anything it looks like you disposed of , kiss your harddrive goodbye etc.
You really need to break down and pay an attorney skilled in user agreements to a) figure out your exposure and how to sturcture to avoid it b) if your website needs to be located in a certain state , as it were c) whether it's a good idea for you to be a corporation d) the user agreements you will ask any users/purchasers to sign;
You are past d.i.y. time
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