Blurred Profiles And The Impact On Your Data Inventory

Byadminciaolink

Attention data scraping companies! A major shift occurred in the data acquisition landscape of a prominent business social networking site back in October 2023. This update involved the “blurring” of a specific portion of public profile information, making it inaccessible through traditional scraping methods.

Imagine this: you deploy your scraper to harvest valuable data from people profiles, only to be met with a frustrating string of asterisks (*****) where names, job titles, or company affiliations used to reside. What was initially a small, 2% subset of profiles has now grown to a more significant 8-10% (as of May 2024), impacting the overall quality of scraped data.

The Evolving Encryption Game

Initially, the leading business networking site employed a basic encryption method that could be decoded by skilled scrapers, allowing for some initial workarounds. However, in December 2023, the platform took a more aggressive stance, implementing a robust encryption that renders the data unreadable by most scraping tools.

Why the Change?

While the website hasn’t explicitly stated its motives, the timing and nature of the update suggest a clear objective: to curb aggressive data scraping practices. Companies that relied on scraping vast quantities of user data without proper consent or respect for user privacy are likely the target.

blurred profiles with asterisks when scraped
blurred profiles with asterisks when scraped

The Impact on Your Business

The consequences are two-fold:

  • Obsolete Scraping Techniques: Traditional scraping methods might become ineffective for a growing segment of profiles on the business networking site.
  • Diminished Data Accuracy: The overall accuracy of your data pool suffers, potentially affecting the value you deliver to clients.

Is This the End of People Data Scraping?

No. This update presents a challenge, but not a dead end. Here are some potential solutions to consider:

  • Advanced Scraping Techniques: Exploring more sophisticated scraping methods that can bypass the current encryption might be an option. However, this requires significant technical expertise and may not be a sustainable solution if the site continues to strengthen its defenses.
  • Alternative Data Sources: Diversifying your data acquisition strategy by incorporating other legal and ethical sources can help mitigate reliance on people data scraping.
  • Ethical Scraping Practices: Focusing on responsible scraping practices that respect user privacy and website’s Terms of Service might pave the way for future partnerships or data access agreements.
Data encryption is the biggest paint that companies are trying to solve

The Takeaway: Adaptability is Key

The data scraping landscape is constantly evolving. This update highlights the need for data scraping companies to be adaptable and innovative. By acknowledging the challenge, exploring alternative solutions, and potentially diversifying data sources, you can ensure the continued accuracy and value of your data offerings.

This situation, though not recent news, presents a unique opportunity.  While the initial hurdles might seem daunting, CiaoLink has found a way to get around the situation and ensure the data revelation to over 90% of all blurred profiles. With our innovative approach, you can access the valuable data previously hidden behind the encryption.