Federal Register restricts automated scraping, requires CAPTCHA and API use

What happened

The notice states that due to aggressive automated scraping, programmatic access to FederalRegister.gov and eCFR.gov is limited to developer APIs. Human users must complete a CAPTCHA to request access, and requests for a wider IP range can be made via the Site Help button. The agency is seeking public comment on this collection of information.

Why it matters for trust and compliance

• Its status is published. It is enacted but may not be in force yet. Check the effective date before planning around it.
• Increased security controls on federal information portals may affect automated data collection and AI training pipelines.

Who is affected

Recommended actions

1. Map the security requirements to existing controls and close gaps.