Joint Statement on the Protection of Social Media User Data from Unlawful Scraping

This joint statement released by the Global Privacy Assembly provides guidance on how to protect people's data from illegal data scraping on social media. Organizations must have a lawful reason for collecting and using people's data, even if it is publicly available, and social media companies have an obligation under UK data protection law to safeguard such information. The statement sets expectations for proper privacy practices and advises people on appropriate steps to ensure their data remains secure when sharing online. The twelve authorities signing the statement invite social media companies to demonstrate that they are taking adequate measures to prevent unlawful scraping activities. If organizations do not respond appropriately, reports of mass data scraping may be considered personal data breach with implications for enforcement.