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LinkedIn sues anonymous data scrapers

techcrunch.com

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Re: LinkedIn sues anonymous data scrapers

#11

Post by wodenokoto »

aj7 wrote: post #10
lazyjones wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Scraping should fall under fair use policy Even if the burden put on the scraped website is far from "fair"? At my last job we had half the server capacity used by scraping bots most of the time, despite blocking Tor (since it was used exclusively for scraping most of the time). Such use translates into real operating costs just for being scraped, depending on your way of monetizing with 0 (no ad views) or negative…

Maybe your business model has an intrinsic flaw. For instance on LinkedIn, how many of the 400M strivers do I really want to network with? Yet I (or my bot) can see them all.

Those are both stupid arguments.

> Maybe your business model has an intrinsic flaw.

Maybe business are free to decide on their business model and not forced to comply with anybody else hobby project.

> how many of the 400M strivers do I really want to network with?

Are you suggesting that linked should block your access to everything except what their ml algorithm decides will interest you?

Re: LinkedIn sues anonymous data scrapers

#12

Post by atemerev »

lazyjones wrote: post #9
atemerev wrote: post #7

If it is visible, it is recordable. Scraping should fall under fair use policy: recording a TV program is OK, repackaging it and reselling to competing channel is not. Scraping for research and/or personal use should always be legal.

> Scraping should fall under fair use policy Even if the burden put on the scraped website is far from "fair"? At my last job we had half the server capacity used by scraping bots most of the time, despite blocking Tor (since it was used exclusively for scraping most of the time). Such use translates into real operating costs just for being scraped, depending on your way of monetizing with 0 (no ad views) or negative…

It is your right, of course, to use whatever technical means necessary to make scraping harder.

And it is your right to sue whoever resells your data without licensing it.

But a legal pursuit just for scraping per se looks mean to me.

Re: LinkedIn sues anonymous data scrapers

#14

Post by abelarden »

deedubaya wrote: post #5

LinkedIn is holding your resume data for random, selling access to the recruiters you don't want to hear from because they have deep pockets. Imagine a world where you don't have to re-enter your education and work history for every job you apply to! Imagine not having to create a new resume every time you decide to switch jobs! Imagine just sharing a semi-private URL instead. This sounds like a market prime for disr…

We're doing exactly that in the UK. No recruiters, direct jobseekers-employer network using chosen location, structured data and faceted search.

Re: LinkedIn sues anonymous data scrapers

#15

Post by osullivj »

abelarden wrote: post #14
deedubaya wrote: post #5

LinkedIn is holding your resume data for random, selling access to the recruiters you don't want to hear from because they have deep pockets. Imagine a world where you don't have to re-enter your education and work history for every job you apply to! Imagine not having to create a new resume every time you decide to switch jobs! Imagine just sharing a semi-private URL instead. This sounds like a market prime for disr…

We're doing exactly that in the UK. No recruiters, direct jobseekers-employer network using chosen location, structured data and faceted search.

URL please? I've tried untapt, and been unimpressed. I'm going to need a new contract at some point, so I'm open to a new route to market.

Re: LinkedIn sues anonymous data scrapers

#19

Post by Chris2048 »

wodenokoto wrote: post #11
aj7 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe your business model has an intrinsic flaw. For instance on LinkedIn, how many of the 400M strivers do I really want to network with? Yet I (or my bot) can see them all.

Those are both stupid arguments. > Maybe your business model has an intrinsic flaw. Maybe business are free to decide on their business model and not forced to comply with anybody else hobby project. > how many of the 400M strivers do I really want to network with? Are you suggesting that linked should block your access to everything except what their ml algorithm decides will interest you?

> not forced to comply with anybody else hobby project

How is LI being forced to comply? It's the opposite, hobby project is legally forced to desist.

Re: LinkedIn sues anonymous data scrapers

#20

Post by wodenokoto »

Chris2048 wrote: post #19
wodenokoto wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those are both stupid arguments. > Maybe your business model has an intrinsic flaw. Maybe business are free to decide on their business model and not forced to comply with anybody else hobby project. > how many of the 400M strivers do I really want to network with? Are you suggesting that linked should block your access to everything except what their ml algorithm decides will interest you?

> not forced to comply with anybody else hobby project How is LI being forced to comply? It's the opposite, hobby project is legally forced to desist.

They are not, and they shouldn't be.

The argument I was against was that LinkedIn should bear the cost of scrapers, and if they can't they must change their monetisation strategy to something that can.

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