U.S. Government Websites Restrict Access to Combat Automated Scraping
Meta Description: FederalRegister.gov and eCFR.gov are limiting access due to aggressive scraping, requiring users to utilize developer APIs or complete CAPTCHA tests.
The U.S. government websites FederalRegister.gov and eCFR.gov are implementing stricter access controls in response to a surge in automated scraping. These measures, announced today, are designed to protect the integrity and availability of crucial public information.
The issue stems from increasingly sophisticated attempts to automatically extract data from the sites, overwhelming their systems and potentially disrupting service for legitimate users. According to an official statement, “Due to aggressive automated scraping…programmatic access…is limited to access to our extensive developer APIs.”
This means individuals and organizations seeking to access data programmatically – for example, to build applications or conduct large-scale research – will now be required to utilize the provided FederalRegister.gov API and eCFR.gov API. Documentation for both APIs is readily available online.
For users experiencing access issues, the government is employing additional security measures. “Your request has been flagged as potentially automated,” the website message states. “If you are a human user receiving this message, please complete the CAPTCHA (bot test) below and click ‘Request Access.’” Officials acknowledge that users may occasionally be asked to complete the CAPTCHA again, emphasizing that this is a standard security protocol.
The government also clarified the process for requesting broader access. “If you want to request a wider IP range,” a notice explains, “first request access for your current IP, and then use the ‘Site Feedback’ button…to make the request.” This tiered approach aims to balance the need for open access with the necessity of protecting against malicious activity.
These changes reflect a growing trend among government agencies and private organizations to safeguard their online resources from the impacts of unchecked data scraping. The move underscores the importance of responsible data access and the ongoing challenge of maintaining a secure and accessible digital public square.
