Yes, scraping public data in Saudi Arabia is permissible under strict conditions, but only if it complies with the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), Anti-Cyber Crime Law, and governmental data-sharing policies. Public data is generally accessible, yet automated extraction must avoid unauthorized collection of personal or sensitive information. The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) enforce these rules, with penalties for violations including fines up to SAR 5 million or imprisonment under the Anti-Cyber Crime Law. Recent 2026 amendments emphasize stricter oversight for large-scale data aggregation.
Key Regulations for Scraping Public Data in Saudi Arabia
- Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL): Prohibits scraping personal data without explicit consent, even if sourced from public domains. Non-compliance risks fines up to SAR 3 million or 2% of global revenue, whichever is higher.
- Anti-Cyber Crime Law: Criminalizes unauthorized access or extraction of data, including automated scraping that bypasses security measures. Offenders face up to SAR 5 million in fines or 4 years imprisonment.
- Government Data-Sharing Policies: Requires prior approval from data owners (e.g., Saudi Open Data Portal) for bulk public data extraction. Unauthorized scraping of datasets from ministries or public entities is explicitly banned.