Public Data
Public data is information anyone can see without logging in, paying, or being granted special access. On the web, that is the posts, captions, view and like counts, public profiles, and the contact details people choose to put in a public bio — plus things like business listings on Google Maps. If a random visitor can view it in a browser, it is public.
That is the key line: public data is the opposite of private or gated data. A public TikTok post anyone can watch is public; a private account's followers-only content is not. A business email printed on a company's own website is public; the contents of someone's inbox are not. The distinction is about access, not about whether the data happens to mention a person.
Courts have generally treated collecting public data very differently from breaking into private systems. That said, "public" does not mean "anything goes" — how you use the data can still fall under privacy and marketing laws, especially when it identifies individuals. Public simply lowers the bar to access; it does not switch off every rule about what you may then do with the information.
What it means for 1Scrape users
1Scrape collects public data only — the posts, profiles, listings, and public-bio contact details any visitor can see. It never accesses private accounts, followers-only content, or anything behind a login. For example, if a creator publishes a business email in their bio, that lands in your CSV; if they do not, the column is simply empty. You are responsible for using what you collect lawfully. General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is public data the same as personal data?
Not exactly. Data can be both — a public profile can contain personal data like a name or email. "Public" describes how accessible it is; "personal" describes whether it identifies a person. Public personal data can still be covered by privacy laws, so use it responsibly.