Yes,
Scraping public data in Mississippi is generally permissible, provided it complies with federal and state laws, including the Mississippi Public Records Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Courts have not yet ruled definitively on scraping, but unauthorized access or use of restricted databases risks liability under state cybersecurity statutes.
Key Regulations for Scraping Public Data in Mississippi
- Mississippi Public Records Act (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-1 et seq.): Mandates transparency for government-held data, but prohibits scraping if it disrupts public access or violates agency-specific terms of service.
- Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) Compliance: Scraping systems with explicit anti-bot measures (e.g., login walls) may constitute unauthorized access, triggering civil or criminal penalties under 18 U.S.C. § 1030.
- Local Ordinances & 2026 Shifts: Jackson’s 2024 Open Data Policy encourages public data reuse, but pending 2026 amendments may impose stricter rate-limiting and attribution requirements for automated collection.
Scraping publicly available data from government websites (e.g., court dockets, property records) is typically lawful if done without circumventing technical barriers. However, commercial use of scraped data may require additional licensing under Mississippi’s data broker regulations. Entities should audit compliance with the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services’ 2025 cybersecurity guidelines before deployment.