The following is a brief introduction to the topic:
Web scraping is at the intersection of technology, law, and business. It is used for market research, data-driven decision making, and price tracking. However, it also has sparked legal disputes around the world.
Cases like HiQ Labs V. LinkedIn, and eBay V. Bidder’s Edge, have helped shape the legal landscape for scraping and continue to impact how businesses collect automated data.
New to web scraping? Start with our Complete Guide to Data Scraping for the fundamentals and legal basics
This blog will explore the Most Important Web Scraping Court Cases and their outcomes in 2025, as well as what they mean to businesses.
1. hiQ Labs v. LinkedIn (U.S.)
- Background hiQ Labs scraped LinkedIn public profiles to create analytics tools. LinkedIn argued that it violated its Terms of Service and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
- Court decision: U.S. court ruled scraping publically available data is not a violation of CFAA.
- Impact Created a precedent in the U.S. that scraping publicly available data was legal, although Terms of Service disputes still remain relevant.
eBay v. Bidder’s Edge
- Background Bidder’s Edge scraped eBay listings to aggregate data
- Court decision: eBay was awarded an injunction for “trespassing to chattels”, i.e., the unauthorized use servers.
- Impact It was highlighted that scraping could be stopped if it placed a burden on the infrastructure of a company.
3. Ryanair v. PR Aviation (EU)
- Background: PR Aviation scraped Ryanair flight data in order to resell tickets.
- Court Decision EU courts ruled Ryanair in favor, highlighting contractual restrictions (Terms and Conditions).
- Impact: Reinforced power of website terms & conditions in Europe.
4. Craigslist v. 3Taps (U.S.)
- Background 3Taps scraped Craigslist and republished the listings.
- Court decision: Courts sided Craigslist citing CFAA violation after Craigslist explicitly banned access.
- Impact: Reminding people that scraping after being banned or blocked is a high-risk activity.
5. Ticketmaster v. Prestige Entertainment (U.S.)
- Background Prestige scraped and purchased large quantities of event tickets using bots.
- Court decision: Courts found Prestige liable for violating the CFAA and Anti-Bot laws.
- Impact Demonstrated how scraping is illegal when it’s tied to fraud or abusive practices
6. Southwest Airlines v. FareChase USA
- Background FareChase scraped Southwest flight data for travel agencies.
- Court decision: Southwest was successful on the basis of breach contract, and unauthorised access.
- Impact Reminds users that violating the Terms of Service of a website can have legal consequences.
The Key Takeaways For Businesses
- Private Data vs. Public Data Private Data
- Scraping is easier with publicly available data.
- High legal risk when data is restricted or private.
- Terms and Conditions
- Ignoring the Terms of Service of a website has resulted in multiple court losses.
- Server Burden & Abuse
- Scraping can be challenged even if the data is publicly available.
- Changes in geography change the rules
- The U.S. Courts tend to allow scraping of publicly available data.
- EU courts enforce Terms and Conditions more strictly.
- Best Strategy = Ethics + Compliance
- Businesses that are responsible in their scraping, and do not violate access restrictions, will be the most secure.
🔗 Links to Related Guides
- A Complete Guide to Data Scraping
Your starting point for understanding the fundamentals and legal basics of web scraping. - Is Web Scraping Legal in the USA? (2025 Guide)
Explore U.S. regulations and court rulings that shape the legality of data scraping. - Global Web Scraping Laws: EU, UK, India & Beyond
Compare international regulations and see how different countries approach data scraping. - The Ethics of Web Scraping: How to Scrape Responsibly
Learn best practices for collecting data fairly and transparently. - Web Scraping & Data Privacy: GDPR, CCPA, and More
Discover how global privacy laws impact scraping and what compliance looks like.
The conclusion of the article is:
The legality of scraping the web is nuanced. The differences are often in the data that is scraped and how it is accessed.
The safest way to do business in 2025 for businesses is:
- Only scrape non-personal, public data
- Respect the Terms of Service
- Avoid overloading your servers
- Keep up to date with the latest case law and regulatory developments
You can learn from these legal cases and maximize the power of scraping websites while minimizing your legal risks.