Three different ways to access information
| Method | What it does | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Web scraping | Reads permitted information from page content | Access rights, site terms and changing page structure |
| API | Requests structured data through a provided interface | Permissions, quotas, storage and reuse conditions |
| Dataset search | Queries records already held in an authorized dataset | Source rights, field definitions and freshness |
Public visibility is not blanket permission
A public page may contain personal information or content subject to specific platform restrictions. Check the access path and intended processing before collecting, sharing or contacting anyone.
Meta explains its restrictions on unauthorized automated collection, and LinkedIn's agreement includes restrictions on automated copying. Signing in with a valid account does not create unrestricted collection rights.
Design the output before choosing a tool
List the fields your task needs: a business name, city, source URL, or a product price with currency and observation date. A defined output may reveal that a licensed feed or official API is more appropriate than reading pages.
Test a small sample. Prices can differ by variant or region, fields may be absent, and the same value can occur in several places. Missing information should not become an invented value just to fill a table.
Plan for source changes
Content, page structure and access conditions change. Results may also differ by language, location or request time. Keep the query context and verification date, and compare a new sample before applying a large update.
If the source no longer permits the task, review the approved access path. Repeated retries or changing identities to evade restrictions is not a quality-control method.
How this applies to AuraData
The Google Maps tool searches by business keyword and location. LinkedIn tools search authorized datasets. Facebook workflows distinguish permitted identifier collection from matching against available records. Each product page explains its inputs and limits.
AuraData is not presented as a general scraper for every website, every online store or Instagram. Select it when the verified tools match your task.
A short decision checklist
- Do you know the source, fields and purpose?
- Does the access method permit the intended use?
- Can you test a sample and verify its quality?
- Can the results be updated, corrected and removed when no longer needed?
- Have you distinguished business information from personal data?
Frequently asked questions
Does an API grant unlimited reuse rights?+
No. Permissions, quotas, storage and reuse conditions depend on the service and access path.
How is extraction different from data mining?+
Extraction structures information for use. Data mining analyzes data to discover patterns or relationships. A project may include both, but they are different operations.