1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stopping Grinch Bots Act of 2018 . 2. Unfair and deceptive acts and practices relating to circumvention of online access control measures (a) Conduct prohibited (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), it shall be unlawful for any person— (A) to circumvent a security measure, access control system, or other technological control or measure on an Internet website or online service to enforce posted purchasing limits or to manage inventory; or (B) to sell or offer to sell any product or service in interstate commerce obtained in violation of subparagraph (A) if the person selling or offering to sell the product or service— (i) participated directly in or had the ability to control the conduct in violation of subparagraph (A); or (ii) knew or should have known that the product or service was acquired in violation of subparagraph (A). (2) Exception It shall not be unlawful under this section for a person to create or use any computer software or system— (A) to investigate, or further the enforcement or defense, of any alleged violation of this section or other statute or regulation; or (B) to engage in research necessary to identify and analyze flaws and vulnerabilities of measures, systems, or controls described in paragraph (1)(A), if these research activities are conducted— (i) to advance the state of knowledge in the field of computer system security