Public data refers to any information freely accessible on the internet without requiring login credentials, subscriptions, or special permissions. When you can view content in a regular browser without signing in, that content is generally considered public data.
What makes data public
Data qualifies as public when it meets these criteria:
- Anyone can access it through a standard web browser
- No authentication or login is required
- No paywall or subscription blocks access
- The content owner has made it openly available
Think of it this way: if you can see it without creating an account or paying, it is likely public data.
Common types of public data
You will encounter several categories of public data when web scraping:
- Product information: Prices, descriptions, and availability on e-commerce sites
- Business listings: Company names, addresses, and contact details on directories
- Job postings: Open positions listed on career pages and job boards
- News content: Headlines, articles, and press releases on media websites
- Government records: Public filings, procurement data, and regulatory information
- Financial data: Stock prices, market data, and public company filings
Public data vs private data
The distinction matters for legal and ethical web scraping. Private data sits behind barriers like:
- Login pages and user accounts
- Paywalls and subscription services
- API keys and access tokens
- Password-protected areas
Here is an important nuance: even when data appears publicly accessible, it might still carry restrictions. A social media profile set to public is visible to everyone, but privacy laws in many regions still regulate how you can collect and use that personal information.
Why public data matters for web scraping
Public data powers countless business applications:
- Price monitoring: Track competitor pricing across hundreds of products in real time
- Market research: Gather industry trends and consumer sentiment from reviews and forums
- Lead generation: Build prospect lists from business directories and company websites
- Competitive intelligence: Monitor competitor product launches, job openings, and news mentions
Researchers also rely on public data to study market behavior, analyze trends, and gather datasets that would be impossible to compile through traditional surveys.
Best practices for collecting public data
Accessing public data does not mean anything goes. Follow these guidelines to scrape responsibly:
- Check the terms of service: Some sites explicitly prohibit automated access even for public pages
- Respect robots.txt: This file tells scrapers which pages they should avoid
- Throttle your requests: Space out your requests to avoid overwhelming servers
- Minimize personal data: Only collect information you actually need for your purpose
- Document your sources: Keep records of where data came from and when you collected it
How Browse AI helps you collect public data
Browse AI makes extracting public data straightforward without writing code. You can point the platform at any public webpage, train a robot to identify the data you need, and schedule automated extractions. The platform handles pagination, monitors for changes, and exports data in formats you can use immediately. Visit Browse AI to start collecting public data from any website in minutes.
