Scraping on social media: why you should beware

Social media contests have become a must-have to engage audiences and boost visibility. However, some practices, such as scraping, can put participants' data at risk. What exactly is scraping? Is it legal? How can you spot it, and why should you be cautious? Let's break it down.

What is scraping?

Scraping is an automated technique used to extract data from a website or online platform. In the context of social media, this means a tool can collect comments, likes, or other interactions from a post and use them, for example, for a prize draw.

Unlike data collection through an official and regulated API, scraping often bypasses platform protections, raising several concerns.

Is scraping illegal?

Yes, in all contexts:

• Legally, many platforms explicitly prohibit scraping in their terms of service. Unauthorized use of this data can result in penalties or even lawsuits. This applies to all major social networks, such as X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, etc.
• Under GDPR, scraping also raises data protection concerns. Collecting data without users’ consent and potentially using it for unintended purposes is against European regulations.

How to spot a scraping-based tool?

If you are participating in or organizing a social media contest, here are some red flags that may indicate a tool relies on scraping:

• No connection to an official API: A reliable tool uses APIs provided by social platforms to collect interactions. If the tool does not request authentication or API access, it’s a warning sign.
• “Instant” draws without admin account access: To extract data lawfully, a tool must access your page or account through secure authentication.
• A free service with no clear business model: If a tool allows unlimited data extraction without explaining how it operates, chances are it relies on non-compliant methods.
• A tool offering unusual features: Each social network has its own rules for contests. Knowing them helps you 1/ stay compliant and 2/ identify tools that offer prohibited actions.

Common examples: contests on LinkedIn are strictly forbidden by their terms of service. Asking participants to share your contest post is also prohibited by Meta on Facebook.

Learn more about each platform’s rules

Anti-scraping checklist 📋

• ✅ Check if the tool requests related social media authentication.
• ❌ Beware of free services with no clear business model.
• ✅ Ensure the tool complies with GDPR and social media TOS.
• ❌ Verify that the features offered are permitted by social networks.

Why should you be careful?

• Risk for participants: Data collected via scraping can be stored and misused (unwanted ads, data resale, phishing, etc.).
• Risk for organizers: Using a scraping-based tool exposes you to penalties, including account or page suspension on social media.
• Loss of credibility: A company that disregards data protection can quickly lose the trust of its community.

A safe and compliant alternative: Pickaw

At Pickaw, we have chosen a 100% legal and secure approach. Our tools exclusively use official social platform APIs, ensuring:

• ✅ Transparent and consent-based data collection.
• ✅ Protection of participants' information.
• ✅ Full compliance with social media regulations and GDPR.

Choosing a compliant tool ensures that your contest runs securely, without risks to your brand or audience.