Scraping Data From Amazon

[MartyMF]

Jurisdiction

Pennsylvania

Hello all. I would like to understand if selling information scrapped from websites like amazon is illegal?
Here's the situation: I'm planning to subscribe to the amazon API service and purchase this data. Then, analyze the data and mine it, turn it around and sell it as a service to other companies. Does that violate any law, copyright or amazon's rules?

Thank you!

 

[Zigner]

Hello all. I would like to understand if selling information scrapped from websites like amazon is illegal?
Here's the situation: I'm planning to subscribe to the amazon API service and purchase this data. Then, analyze the data and mine it, turn it around and sell it as a service to other companies. Does that violate any law, copyright or amazon's rules?

Thank you!

Why don't you start by reading Amazon's rules?

 

[flyingron]

Legal as will the cops come? No, not likely a problem.

As Zig points out, it may violate Amazon's terms. Unless you egregiously interfere with their site, they probably aren't going to sue you. WHat they can (and probably already have means in place) is thwart your ability to access the site in an automated fashion.

Amazon almost certainly provided you with the terms for the use of their API, why don't you follow them. You can also ask them for clarification, I guarantee that your idea is not so novel they haven't run into it before.

 

[MartyMF]

Legal as will the cops come? No, not likely a problem.

As Zig points out, it may violate Amazon's terms. Unless you egregiously interfere with their site, they probably aren't going to sue you. WHat they can (and probably already have means in place) is thwart your ability to access the site in an automated fashion.

Amazon almost certainly provided you with the terms for the use of their API, why don't you follow them. You can also ask them for clarification, I guarantee that your idea is not so novel they haven't run into it before.

Thank you both. I might need to rephrase the question. How about scraping any website in general. What are the limits on using data harvested from a collection of websites (through scrapping) for commercial purposes? meaning selling that data to someone else?

 

[Zigner]

Thank you both. I might need to rephrase the question. How about scraping any website in general. What are the limits on using data harvested from a collection of websites (through scrapping) for commercial purposes? meaning selling that data to someone else?

Your question is entirely too broad. There are millions (billions) of websites. There's no way that we (or anyone) can provide an answer for every unique website.

 

[MartyMF]

Your question is entirely too broad. There are millions (billions) of websites. There's no way that we (or anyone) can provide an answer for every unique website.

I see. So there's no governing rule (state/federal) covering this specific issue? rather, it's case by case based on the website's terms of use agreement?

 

[Zigner]

I see. So there's no governing rule (state/federal) covering this specific issue? rather, it's case by case based on the website's terms of use agreement?

I didn't say that, did I? Generally, it's case-by-case, but I can see how your plan might also run afoul of certain cybercrime laws. Take your business plan to an attorney for review.

 

[flyingron]

Information that is publicly disseminated is not protected. If you've entered into an agreement with a company, that agreement can be enforced. As stated, the site is free to do what the care to do to thwart your efforts.