Netherlands: Announced AP Guidelines for scraping by private individuals and private organisations

On 1 May 2024, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) announced the publication of its Guidelines for scraping by private individuals and private organisations. The Guidelines set out the data protection implications of scraping, which is the automatic collection and storage of information from the internet. According to the AP, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) usually applies to scraping, and scraping by private individuals or organisations are almost violations. In some cases, it is illegal outright, especially when used to create profiles for resale, gather data from protected social media accounts, or determine insurance eligibility. Finally, the AP sets out some exceptions. The AP is also working on a scraping guideline which applies to government activities.