tl;dr: AI scraper traffic continues to overwhelm sites like LWN via "residential proxy" networks—millions of compromised phones, smart TVs, and devices running hijacked software, often installed via shady "free VPN" apps and SDKs from companies like Bright Data. Recent takedowns of networks like IPIDEA and NetNut brought temporary relief, but the arms race continues; LWN has deployed undisclosed defenses rather than adopting Anubis, arguing proof-of-work is trivial when attackers command millions of victim machines. Without industry accountability or app store scrutiny, the open web risks disappearing behind logins, paywalls, and CAPTCHAs.