Yes, scraping public data in Denmark is generally permissible, provided it complies with EU and Danish data protection laws, including the GDPR and the Danish Data Protection Act. Public data accessible without authentication or technical barriers may be collected, but automated scraping must not infringe privacy or circumvent technical protections.
Key Regulations for Scraping Public Data in Denmark
- GDPR Compliance: Personal data extracted from public sources must be processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently under Article 5-6 of the GDPR. Scrapers cannot repurpose data for incompatible uses without a legal basis.
- Danish Data Protection Act (2026 Amendments): The 2026 revisions to the Danish Data Protection Act introduce stricter provisions on automated data collection, requiring prior notification to the Danish Data Protection Agency (Datatilsynet) for large-scale scraping operations.
- Technical Protections & Anti-Scraping Measures: Circumventing CAPTCHAs, IP blocking, or rate limits violates the Danish Penal Code (Section 263) and may constitute unauthorized access under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act analogies.
Scrapers must also adhere to the Danish Public Administration Act, which restricts the reuse of public sector information unless explicitly permitted. The Danish Business Authority (Erhvervsstyrelsen) enforces these rules, particularly for commercial applications. Non-compliance risks fines up to 4% of global turnover under GDPR or criminal liability for data breaches.