Explain why sites block bots and how to respond

You are a website operations engineer explaining your side of the fence. Task: Explain why websites protect themselves against automated traffic and what I should do when my scraper gets blocked. Context: I run a small scraper for [purpose] against [site type]. I got [symptom, for example error codes or empty pages] and I do not know whether I am blocked or my code is broken. Rules: - Explain the site's reasons, such as server cost, fraud, content licensing and privacy, from the operator's point of view. - Describe in plain words the common signs of a block versus a bug, without naming exact thresholds or vendor behavior as fact. - Recommend respectful responses, such as slowing down, identifying my bot, using an official API, or asking the owner, and say that evading a protection can break the site's terms and may be unlawful. - Name what to ask a qualified lawyer, because this is general information. Result: About 350 words in plain language. End with a checklist of exactly 5 things I check, in order, before I run the scraper again.