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computers / comp.dcom.telecom / LinkedIn can't use anti-hacking law to block web scraping, judges rule [telecom]

LinkedIn can't use anti-hacking law to block web scraping, judges rule [telecom]

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From: mon...@roscom.com (Monty Solomon)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: LinkedIn can't use anti-hacking law to block web scraping, judges rule [telecom]
Date: 20 Apr 2022 09:34:13 -0400
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by: Monty Solomon - Wed, 20 Apr 2022 13:34 UTC

HiQ can keep scraping LinkedIn member profile data as court upholds
injunction.

By Jon Brodkin

In a case involving LinkedIn, a federal appeals court reaffirmed
Monday that web scraping likely doesn't violate the Computer Fraud and
Abuse Act (CFAA).

The ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit drew a
distinction between data that is password-protected and data that is
publicly available. That means hiQ Labs - a data analytics company
that uses automated technology to scrape information from public
LinkedIn profiles- can continue accessing LinkedIn data, a three-judge
panel at the appeals court ruled ...

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/04/linkedin-cant-use-anti-hacking-law-to-block-web-scraping-judges-rule/

***** Moderator's Note *****

Crush-them-under-our-thumb department:

Microsoft owns LinkedIn. The article quotes from a "Cartooney" letter
that M$ sent to the HiQ organization, predicting criminal charges
would be brought against those whom dared to copy LinkedIn pages, even
though they're available to the public.

HiQ had no choice but to fight back, and it looks like they've "won."
It may be a Pyrrhic victory, however - which I'd bet is what M$
intended to happen anyway.

Bill Horne
Moderator

Subject	Author
LinkedIn can't use anti-hacking law to block web scraping, judges rule [telecom]	Monty Solomon