How does screen scraping work with geo targeted proxies?
Tags: webscraping, datacollection, socialmedia, dexodata
Published: 2023-05-29 16:21:03

![screen scraping work with geo targeted proxies](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/i6quyo47daljo07w549a.png)
Web scraping integrated with trusted proxy websites in 2023 is a common business practice for launching new projects or developing the existing ones. Automated data gathering is applied with [AI-driven tools and geo targeted proxies](https://dexodata.com/en/blog/12-most-intriguing-applications-of-ai-you-need-to-know-about-in-2023) from Dexodata in 2023 by representatives of different economic spheres.

One data acquisition method is called “screen scraping”. Today we will describe this technique, its characteristics, and the application of [4G mobile proxies](https://dexodata.com/en/mobile-proxies), residential, and datacenter, for it.

## What is screen scraping and why buy dedicated proxies for it?

Screen scraping is a procedure of obtaining visual data from UI-elements or content shown by desktops or mobile devices. Information collected this way may be found in:

* Text, incl .doc and .pdf files
* Screenshots
* Terminal sessions
* Graphic interface (buttons, windows, etc.)
* Media content (pictures, videos, .gif, graphic advertisement, etc.)

Screen scraping is automated, so requires to [buy residential and mobile proxies](https://dexodata.com/en/pricing) or datacenter ones to access block-free data harvesting. Operations order is similar to obtaining web data from HTML or API:

1. Defining required text or graphic elements on predetermined sites
2. Creating code for automated frameworks and libraries
3. Executing search and data collection
4. Transferring results as CSV, JSON, XLS.

This procedure can be performed to unstructured amounts, especially with AI-based solutions. One can use [LLM-enhanced models](https://dexodata.com/en/blog/how-to-use-chatgpt-for-web-data-extraction-in-2023), such as ChatGPT, to boost the algorithm coding and to adopt solutions for multiple pages.

## Does screen scraping differ from web scraping?

These two procedures have a lot in common. They both:

1. Are automatic and compatible with ML-enhanced solutions.
2. Work with structured and unstructured data.
3. Are applicable to different pages and content types.
4. Can function in combination with different computing languages, frameworks, and libraries.
5. Need [residential rotating proxies](https://dexodata.com/en/residential-proxies) to be bought and software concealing digital fingerprints to be performed without malfunction.
6. Have identical applications we will list below.

But also there are significant differences. Screen scraping is unsuitable for:

* Obtaining something more than visual elements from app/website digital interface or from HTML in contrast to automated data collection working with API and HTML.
* Collecting information from browsers or non-public content hidden from the monitor.

Otherwise, these two methods are similar and are both compatible with technology of optical character recognition (OCR). It is useful to recognize and extract text from images.

Collection of web elements from virtual desk is ethical until it is utilized for harvesting public content via residential and mobile proxies one buys from a trusted platform with full AML and KYC compliance, such as Dexodata.

## Where is screen scraping utilized?

Graphical data extraction is also called terminal emulation. Term’s history refers to the first applications of the method when monitor scanning was engaged in moving info from legacy software or interfaces, e.g. IBM mainframe. The only way to utilize outdated mainframes in some cases is transferring information to modern API-compatible frameworks via screen scraping. Now it is a part of desktop analytics when devices on different platforms exchange data.


![Variety of web data to obtain via screen scraping includes graphics, text and media](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/edb2lq7enxu6kszq6g9n.png)
Variety of web data to obtain via screen scraping includes graphics, text and media

Some other ways to leverage screen data collection are:

* Banking and transactions
* Saving important info
* Price tracking for [e-commerce](https://dexodata.com/en/blog/7-key-roles-web-data-plays-in-e-commerce)
* Advertisement verification
* Brand protection.

Trusted proxy websites are suitable for all items from the list above, therefore, Dexodata trusted platform is a great resource in 2023 to buy residential rotating proxies or 4G mobile proxies for acquiring reliable information at scale.

## What technologies does screen scraping utilize?

Harvesting unstructured data requires computer vision (CV) and OCR technologies to convert media with text content to readable format or work with Citrix applications. AI-based solutions maximize the potential and range of data gathered.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) models automate recurrent actions on the internet and make it authentic due to human actions’ imitation. Automated RPA-engaged algorithms can click on certain keywords or banners, run .exe files or open attached documents, including .pdf and .xls.

FullText technology is used during screen data retrieval to access hidden UI-elements and harvest text from there. If one buys residential rotating proxies with precise geolocation, it is possible to raise the reliability of gained info.

## Are there any limitations on screen scraping usage?

Data harvesters scan all UI elements and content on the monitor, recognize and retrieve them to external databases. Even insignificant changes in the items’ order and structure may interrupt the procedure. So algorithms will need additional adjustments.

Way to solve the problem is utilization of [AI-driven tools](https://dexodata.com/en/blog/7-web-data-types-to-harvest-successfully-without-coding-skills), even without coding skills. They pass machine learning on various static and dynamic content and acquire self-training abilities during the work.

Another challenge is distribution of access rights. If robots are granted rights to collect data from the virtual desks, they obtain every piece they achieve. It includes, inter alia, private and billing information. There are no restricted elements for automated extractors. So banking applications have to apply ML-driven bots to control the activity or abandon screen scraping methods in favor of API-oriented algorithms.

Legal status of acquiring data from monitors has two sides, both negative and positive. One can proceed with publicly available items, but it also makes this method insecure and accessible for third-parties, including online crooks. Application of trusted proxy websites mostly solves the issue by protecting the established connections from data leaks.

## What future awaits screen scraping

Automated screen information obtaining is a well-known tool for business development along with web data gathering. It is crucial for collecting and analyzing info from legacy frameworks and complex interfaces. In 2023, it is necessary to [buy residential proxies](https://dexodata.com/en/residential-proxies) and mobile IPs on the [Dexodata, platform for scaling web analytics](https://dexodata.com/en/about) to unlock the potential of this screen-driven approach.