ABS use of web scraping

Web scraping is when software automatically extracts publicly available information from websites. This page explains how the ABS uses web scraping.

The ABS uses web scraping to extract pricing data, product, and other information from specific websites. We do this for statistical purposes.

Web scraping helps us:

• collect data more efficiently
• collect data more often
• increase accuracy of data collected.

To support the web scraping process, we: 

• contact impacted businesses to let them know that we plan to scrape their website
• take reasonable steps to avoid affecting their website’s performance.

Many businesses provide significant amounts of data to the ABS. 

Web scraping can help to reduce this burden by:

• collecting data automatically
• reducing the need to complete surveys online or over the phone
• allowing regular and unobtrusive data collection.

We do not collect personal information through web scraping.

Web scraped information is collected for statistical purposes consistent with the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

The ABS complies with the Australian Privacy Principles and all relevant federal legislation. This includes the:

• Privacy Act 1988
• Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975
• Archives Act 1983

For further details on how the ABS uses web scraping refer to Web Scraping in the Australian CPI. 

If you have any questions, please contact the ABS: 

• Phone: 1800 179 691 during business hours
• Online: Business Surveys Contact Form