Yes, scraping public data in Iowa is generally permissible under state law, provided it complies with federal privacy statutes and avoids unauthorized access under Iowa Code § 716.6. The Iowa Attorney General’s 2024 guidance clarifies that publicly accessible information—such as government records, court filings, or legislative data—may be scraped unless restricted by terms of service or specific statutes. However, automated scraping that circumvents technical barriers (e.g., CAPTCHAs) risks violating Iowa’s computer crime laws, mirroring federal interpretations under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).
Key Regulations for Scraping Public Data in Iowa
- Iowa Code § 716.6 (Computer Fraud): Prohibits accessing computer systems without authorization, which may apply if scraping bypasses login gates or rate limits on public portals.
- Open Records Law (Iowa Code § 22): Permits scraping of government records unless exempt (e.g., confidential juvenile court files), but imposes no restrictions on reuse unless copyrighted.
- Terms of Service (ToS) Violations: Courts in Iowa (e.g., HiQ Labs v. LinkedIn precedent) suggest ToS may not override public data rights, but aggressive scraping could trigger tortious interference claims.
Critical Considerations
- Rate Limiting: Excessive requests may trigger Iowa’s anti-hacking statutes or local ordinances (e.g., Des Moines’ 2025 municipal data-use policies).
- Personal Data: Scraping identifiers (e.g., SSNs in court records) violates Iowa’s Identity Theft Act (§ 715A.8), even if publicly posted.
- Copyright: Iowa’s 2026 legislative updates align with federal precedent, restricting scraping of copyrighted public records (e.g., digitized archives).