Is the Lemmy experience worsening? How do I block Reddit bots but allow participation?

It seems to me that over the last two weeks, the Lemmy experience has been worsening. My front page and communities are filled with Reddit re-posting bots.

While this gives off a feeling of being active, it’s like a ghost town invaded by AI.

But if I block these bots, I also take the risk that I’m unable to participate in actual conversations between non-bot Lemmy participants.