LinkedIn blocked HiQ Labs scraping claiming it was in violation of their terms of service. HiQ filed suit and won a preliminary injunction restoring their ability to scrap LinkedIn.  The judge is concerned that LinkedIn’s blocking “access to public data, possibly as a means of limiting competition, violates state law.”

This is a developing situation. The ruling could have far reaching implications throughout the web. It is sure to be challenged by the owners’ of data (including Google and Amazon)–there is much money at stake.

Read more here.