Web Scrapers and Their Targets Beware. Regulators Are Zeroing in on Privacy Implications

Web scraping, or the process of collecting data from websites by automated methods, could soon be more stringently regulated by the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), a federal anti-hacking law. Plaintiffs must establish that the defendant “intentionally assessed” a protected computer “without authorization” or otherwise exceeded his or her “authorized access.” State attorney generals can also apply unfair and deceptive trade practice (UDAP) laws, as well as laws specific to data brokers, to supplement their UDAP statutes. Even when permission to scrape data is in place, the act may violate state privacy laws already in place in California and to be implemented in Virginia or Colorado.

 

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Posted Under: Legal Issues

Post By Ken Shafton (2,325 Posts)