Is web crawling legal?

Answer

Web crawling legality depends on the website, the data you collect, and the laws in your jurisdiction. Many sites allow crawling of public pages but restrict use through terms of service. You should respect robots.txt and avoid bypassing access controls. Collecting personal or copyrighted data can introduce privacy and IP risks. If you plan to resell or publish results, the requirements are usually stricter. When in doubt, get permission or legal guidance.