The Internet is an inexhaustible source of information. The same thing goes for social media. An infinite amount of data available to everyone. Through that data you can obtain detailed information on people’s lives. Financial, personal information, information on purchases made or just imagined. To collect this information, organize it and classify it, various techniques have evolved over the years. All under one name. One hat: data scraping, data scraping. A digital collection that can take place in different ways. More or less invasive, more or less effective. More or less harmful to privacy.
Data scraping for entrepreneurs and professionals
We therefore understand the sensation caused by the words of the Deputy Minister of Economy, Maurizio Leo: “We are working with the Revenue Agency and Sogei, what needs to be done is the so-called ‘data scraping’, that is, considering the data on the standard of living that professionals and entrepreneurs publish on social media”. These are not new words from Leo, who in the past had already hypothesized the use of Artificial Intelligence to track down tax evaders and their 80-100 billion in taxes that they steal from the treasury. Which, however, have sparked controversy and distancing from the members of the government majority themselves. There are no details on how the deputy minister intends to intervene. But we can outline some general principles. What is data scraping? How does it work?
What is data scraping and how does it work
In a broader and more general sense, we talk about data scraping when a process occurs through which a web application extracts information from another software. But Leo in his statements was referring to web scraping, a technique that involves the use of software that is capable of taking information from a website (including social media) and classifying it based on required characteristics: all people with blond hair, all sports car owners, all beginner padel courses, for example. An automatic information classification technique.
It’s not always a legitimate activity. In fact, there have been many cases where data scraping has been deemed illegal. The best-known, most striking case is that of Cambridge Analytica, the startup that in 2018 was discovered to have data on the lives of 87 million people and to have collected it in order to make them targets for political propaganda. But there have been dozens of similar news cases in recent years. Meta has announced harsh measures against those who scrape data on its platforms. Elon Musk blocked the display of tweets above a certain number a year ago to hinder the practice.
How information is collected on sites and social networks
The collection of this data can occur in different ways. Basically, there is the automation of data collection processes that are done by bots or spiders (technical names that indicate software designed to do just that). Automation that often leads to the risk of collecting data in an illicit manner that disrespects privacy.
One of the most widespread ways is to collect data with software that simulates online browsing done by real users, to reach even where limitations have been placed on public access (photos shared only with one’s friends, or information relegated to a close circle of people). The information acquired can then be processed, collected in a database, classified for subsequent investigations. A bit like an archive. Like a data log.
The risks for privacy (and the GDPR)
The European Personal Data Law (GDPR) does not prohibit data scarping regardless. In the case of data scraping applied by a state for the purpose of combating tax evasion there are issues to be resolved: understanding whether the data processing violates the fundamental rights of citizens, whether there is no excessive introduction into people’s lives. But there is a fact. On the internet, on social media, people often share their lives. And they do it publicly, indeed, often trying to reach the largest possible audience, telling about themselves, their purchases, their holidays.
A wealth of information that could become the subject of study and investigation by the Revenue Agency. At least in the intentions of deputy minister Leo. A project whose feasibility remains to be understood. The technical one, first and foremost. The one that concerns the protection of privacy, certainly. But the hardest thing to get at the moment seems to be the political green light.