As the CEO of a proxy service and data scraping solutions provider, I understand completely why global data breaches that appear on news headlines at times have given web scraping a terrible reputation and why so many people feel cynical about Big Data these days.
At the same time, I recognize that we have great clients who do important work with Big Data and see this in action on common websites most people use each day.
This article is going to describe some important examples of how web scraping can positively affect our lives in addition to offering some ideas on how to do it ethically.
Web Scraping as a Force for Good
Almost anything in the world can be used for good or evil, Big Data included. It all depends on the intention. Here are my favorite examples for web scraping uses that add value to the internet in a significant way:
Price aggregator websites
For many of us, price shopping is great fun, even when it’s for things we don’t really need. If you’re looking for a new laptop, electric mixer, or noise-canceling headphones, the options are numerous. At the same time, if you want to book a charter on a multi-million dollar yacht, Big Data has got you covered for that as well.
Whether we are booking flights or hotel rooms, buying cars, or private jets, there seems to be an endless array of sites that are bringing the competitive advantage back to the consumer for a diverse range of goods and services. And all that is thanks to web scraping.
Tracking Fake News
Journalistic integrity is increasingly becoming a worldwide concern because fake news can be dangerously disruptive to almost every facet of our lives, from events in politics to information about health.
A handful of startups are combatting the problem with solutions that include machine learning algorithms that can process large amounts of data from thousands of sources and determine the level of accuracy and political slant, among other factors. This development represents a significant advance in the sharing of information and that will benefit everyone.
Reputation Management
Not only is the market highly competitive these days, but consumers are as sensitive as ever. Brand monitoring and reputation management are essential to protect the good standing of products, services, and even your name. As long as companies scrape data legally, billions of sources can help them ensure a spotless reputation for consumers, brands, and anyone who operates in the public eye.
Tracking World News & Events
Web scraping can be used to track statistics from events shaping our world, from economic statistics to financial market indicators to the effects of communicable diseases. Examples of the latter include the partnership between Oxylabs and students from Stanford, University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech for the TrackCorona website, in addition to our cooperation with the University of Lugano in Switzerland for the production of CoronaMapper.
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