Cloudflare Accuses Perplexity of Ignoring Scraping Restrictions on Protected Websites

2025-08-04 · TechCrunch AI · Original

In a recent development, Cloudflare, a leading internet security and performance service, has raised concerns over Perplexity's web scraping practices. According to Cloudflare, the AI-powered search engine has been detected crawling websites that have implemented explicit technical measures to prevent such activities. These restrictions were intended to safeguard user data and ensure compliance with website policies. Cloudflare's findings suggest that Perplexity not only overlooked these protective barriers but also engaged in unauthorized scraping, raising ethical questions about its data-gathering methods. The incident highlights the ongoing tension between AI technologies and web content owners, as the balance between innovation and respect for digital rights becomes increasingly critical. As AI continues to evolve, the implications of such practices could prompt further discussions on regulations governing data usage in the tech landscape. Stakeholders are now left to ponder the future of web scraping and the responsibilities of AI companies in adhering to site-specific restrictions.