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> Ethically, if I can see the data in a web browser, I already have access to it Someone on the other side is offering you a service by providing that data. Th
by rootlocus 5y ago
> Ethically, if I can see the data in a web browser, I already have access to it
Someone on the other side is offering you a service by providing that data. They may literally have a business, and it may be in their business's best interest to dictate how you access that data. They can filter your UA, they can rate limit, they can ban you, etc.
Realistically, if the way you consume and use their public data affects their revenue, they can (and should) act to protect their income.
- fiddlerwoaroof 5y agoThey can adjust how they serve traffic to me in various ways but I see no reason why they should be able to tell me that I can’t use an alternative program to view the data (a new browser I’m writing, etc.): if they’re worried about bots mass-scraping data, they have rate limits and other similar tools. If they’re worried about me saving a copy of the data I can see in normal usage of their site on my hard drive for later reference, they should mind their own business.