GoKawiilLaw professor Eric Goldman hosts Reddit AMA on web scraping legality
Internet law professor Eric Goldman participated in a Reddit AMA with r/WebScrapingInsider, answering questions about the legal landscape of web scraping in the United States. He opened by clarifying his remarks were general legal information, not legal advice, and noted his focus was strictly on US law. Goldman described his background as an internet law generalist teaching since 1996, covering scraping and trespass-to-chattels doctrines as part of a broader portfolio including UGC liability, trademark law, and Section 230.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Web scraping sits in a legally ambiguous area touching contract law, trespass to chattels, and computer fraud statutes, so public explanations from a long-tenured expert could help developers and companies gauge risk tolerance. Because Goldman emphasized that the field is contested and outcomes vary by jurisdiction, the AMA likely functioned more as risk-awareness education than as a definitive legal roadmap. His disclaimer suggests continued uncertainty in how courts will treat scraping practices going forward.
- Eric Goldman held a Reddit AMA on web scraping law with r/WebScrapingInsider.
- He stressed his comments were general information about US law, not legal advice.
- His broader academic focus includes trespass to chattels, UGC liability, and online trademark law.
Source: blog.ericgoldman.org — Eric Goldman, 2026-10-12
Published there as: “My Reddit AMA on the Law of Web Scraping”
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