Yes, scraping public data in Connecticut is generally legal, but strict compliance with state and federal laws is required. Publicly accessible information may be collected unless restricted by statutes like the Connecticut Personal Data Privacy and Online Monitoring Act (CT-PDPA) or federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). Municipal open data portals and court records are typically permissible sources, though automated collection may trigger local ordinances or terms of service violations.
Key Regulations for Scraping Public Data in Connecticut
- Connecticut Personal Data Privacy and Online Monitoring Act (CT-PDPA, effective 2026): Prohibits scraping personal data without explicit consent, imposing fines up to $7,500 per violation. Entities must verify data subject rights and purpose limitations before extraction.
- Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA): Federal law criminalizes unauthorized access to computer systems, including bypassing technical barriers (e.g., CAPTCHAs) to scrape data from government or private databases.
- Local Open Data Policies: Municipalities like Hartford and New Haven enforce terms of service for their open data portals, often prohibiting high-volume or commercial scraping without prior approval.
Scrapers must also comply with Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which mandates fair use of public records but does not explicitly address automated collection. Courts have not yet ruled on scraping-specific cases, leaving a gray area where best practices—such as rate-limiting requests and honoring robots.txt—mitigate legal risk. Entities should conduct due diligence to avoid allegations of unfair competition under Connecticut’s Unfair Trade Practices Act.