{"id":24186,"date":"2026-09-22T11:42:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T11:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/?p=24186"},"modified":"2026-09-22T11:42:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T11:42:14","slug":"extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/","title":{"rendered":"Extracting Contact Info From Directory Listings"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Extracting_Contact_Information_From_Directory_Listings_Methods_History_and_Case_Study\" >Extracting Contact Information From Directory Listings: Methods, History, and Case Study<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Introduction\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#1_Historical_Development_of_Directory_Listings\" >1. Historical Development of Directory Listings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#2_Structure_of_an_Online_Directory_Listing\" >2. Structure of an Online Directory Listing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#3_Manual_Contact-Information_Extraction\" >3. Manual Contact-Information Extraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#4_Automated_Extraction\" >4. Automated Extraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#5_Browser-Based_Extraction\" >5. Browser-Based Extraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#6_Desktop-Based_Extraction\" >6. Desktop-Based Extraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#7_API-Based_Extraction\" >7. API-Based Extraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#8_Data_Normalization\" >8. Data Normalization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#9_Deduplication\" >9. Deduplication<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#10_Data_Validation\" >10. Data Validation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#11_Privacy_and_Ethical_Considerations\" >11. Privacy and Ethical Considerations<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Organizational_information\" >Organizational information<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Individual_information\" >Individual information<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#12_Legal_and_Platform_Considerations\" >12. Legal and Platform Considerations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Case_Study_Extracting_Business_Contact_Information_From_a_Public_Directory\" >Case Study: Extracting Business Contact Information From a Public Directory<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Background\" >Background<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Stage_1_Source_Selection\" >Stage 1: Source Selection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Stage_2_Dataset_Design\" >Stage 2: Dataset Design<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Stage_3_Collection\" >Stage 3: Collection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Stage_4_Cleaning\" >Stage 4: Cleaning<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Stage_5_Contact_Classification\" >Stage 5: Contact Classification<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Stage_6_Validation\" >Stage 6: Validation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Stage_7_Analysis\" >Stage 7: Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#13_Lessons_From_the_Case_Study\" >13. Lessons From the Case Study<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#First_planning_is_essential\" >First, planning is essential<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Second_directory_structure_matters\" >Second, directory structure matters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Third_extraction_and_validation_are_different\" >Third, extraction and validation are different<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Fourth_context_matters\" >Fourth, context matters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Fifth_source_records_should_be_retained\" >Fifth, source records should be retained<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Sixth_data_minimization_reduces_risk\" >Sixth, data minimization reduces risk<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#14_Common_Challenges\" >14. Common Challenges<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Changing_page_structures\" >Changing page structures<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Incomplete_listings\" >Incomplete listings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Incorrect_information\" >Incorrect information<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Duplicate_businesses\" >Duplicate businesses<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Dynamic_webpages\" >Dynamic webpages<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Anti-automation_measures\" >Anti-automation measures<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#15_Future_of_Directory_Information_Extraction\" >15. Future of Directory Information Extraction<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-41\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#History_of_Extracting_Contact_Information_From_Directory_Listings\" >History of Extracting Contact Information From Directory Listings<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-42\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Introduction-2\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-43\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#1_Early_Printed_Directories\" >1. Early Printed Directories<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-44\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#2_The_Introduction_of_Computerized_Databases\" >2. The Introduction of Computerized Databases<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-45\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#3_Mainframe_and_Early_Database_Systems\" >3. Mainframe and Early Database Systems<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-46\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#4_Personal_Computers_and_Spreadsheet_Software\" >4. Personal Computers and Spreadsheet Software<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-47\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#5_The_World_Wide_Web_and_Online_Directories\" >5. The World Wide Web and Online Directories<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-48\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#6_Search_Engines_and_Information_Retrieval\" >6. Search Engines and Information Retrieval<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-49\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#7_Early_Web_Scraping\" >7. Early Web Scraping<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-50\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#8_The_Rise_of_Structured_Directory_Data\" >8. The Rise of Structured Directory Data<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-51\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#9_Browser-Based_Extraction\" >9. Browser-Based Extraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-52\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#10_Cloud_Computing_and_Online_Extraction_Platforms\" >10. Cloud Computing and Online Extraction Platforms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-53\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#11_APIs_and_Modern_Directory_Access\" >11. APIs and Modern Directory Access<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-54\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#12_Mobile_and_Location-Based_Directories\" >12. Mobile and Location-Based Directories<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-55\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#13_Artificial_Intelligence_and_Intelligent_Extraction\" >13. Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Extraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-56\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#14_Case_Study_Historical_Development_of_a_Business_Directory_Project\" >14. Case Study: Historical Development of a Business Directory Project<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-57\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Phase_One_Printed_Research\" >Phase One: Printed Research<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-58\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Phase_Two_Digital_Databases\" >Phase Two: Digital Databases<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-59\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Phase_Three_Online_Directories\" >Phase Three: Online Directories<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-60\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Phase_Four_Automated_Extraction\" >Phase Four: Automated Extraction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-61\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Phase_Five_API_Integration\" >Phase Five: API Integration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-62\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Phase_Six_AI-Assisted_Processing\" >Phase Six: AI-Assisted Processing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-63\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#15_Challenges_Throughout_the_History_of_Directory_Extraction\" >15. Challenges Throughout the History of Directory Extraction<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-64\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Accuracy\" >Accuracy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-65\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Duplication\" >Duplication<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-66\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Inconsistent_formatting\" >Inconsistent formatting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-67\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Website_changes\" >Website changes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-68\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Incomplete_records\" >Incomplete records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-69\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Privacy\" >Privacy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-70\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#Data_ownership_and_reuse\" >Data ownership and reuse<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-71\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#16_Privacy_and_Responsible_Data_Collection\" >16. Privacy and Responsible Data Collection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-72\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/#17_The_Future_of_Directory_Extraction\" >17. The Future of Directory Extraction<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"x1yc453h xngnso2 x7amdea x1i21sxh xhacrq1 x1iykcro x1mshyef x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r x1alsn5q x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"0\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Extracting_Contact_Information_From_Directory_Listings_Methods_History_and_Case_Study\"><\/span>Extracting Contact Information From Directory Listings: Methods, History, and Case Study<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction\"><\/span>Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Online directories have become an important source of publicly available business and organizational information. A directory listing may contain a company name, physical address, telephone number, website, email address, business category, opening hours, and other information. Examples include business directories, professional associations, local-service directories, institutional directories, and publicly accessible company databases.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The process of collecting this information from directory listings is generally known as <strong class=\"x7amdea\">contact-information extraction<\/strong>. It can be performed manually for a small number of listings or automatically when researchers need to process a larger collection of permitted public pages. The extracted information can subsequently be organized into spreadsheets, databases, customer-service systems, research datasets, or business directories.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The development of this activity is closely connected to the history of information retrieval and the growth of the Internet. Early directories existed in printed form, while later computer databases and websites made directory information searchable. Modern extraction systems can now process large quantities of structured and semi-structured information using web technologies, APIs, browser tools, and automated data-processing systems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">However, the fact that contact information is publicly visible does not automatically mean that it can be collected and used for every purpose. Responsible extraction requires attention to the directory&#8217;s terms of use, applicable privacy and data-protection requirements, intellectual-property considerations, and the purpose for which the information is collected.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This chapter examines the development of contact-information extraction from directory listings and presents a case study showing how a responsible extraction project can be organized.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Historical_Development_of_Directory_Listings\"><\/span>1. Historical Development of Directory Listings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The concept of a directory existed long before the Internet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Telephone directories, business directories, professional registers, government lists, and printed catalogs were used to organize contact information. A traditional business directory might contain the name of a company, its address, telephone number, and business category.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The fundamental purpose was information discovery: users needed a systematic way to locate an organization or service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">With the development of computers, directories began to move from printed pages into databases. Structured databases made it possible to search records more efficiently and update information without reprinting an entire publication.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The development of the World Wide Web in the 1990s accelerated this transition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Businesses began creating online profiles, while directory companies moved their databases onto websites. Users could search for organizations using keywords, categories, geographic locations, or business names.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This created a new form of directory: the <strong class=\"x7amdea\">online directory listing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Structure_of_an_Online_Directory_Listing\"><\/span>2. Structure of an Online Directory Listing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Unlike an ordinary webpage, a directory listing often follows a relatively consistent structure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A typical listing may contain:<\/p>\n<div class=\"x1vl9vab x16b51yi xrrwrwc x16k8ytd x1qmfsro xma8rkl x17w79hz x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a6c18u x1ynbexh x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xy12xjr xvqhs1v x1nwkakj x1ink2cp x1n2onr6\" dir=\"auto\" data-assistant-markdown-table=\"\" data-assistant-table=\"\">\n<div class=\"xfk6m8 x1k33914 x8ofoeg xxf1yix xh8yej3 xw2csxc x1pqk8vl x7p5m3t x1rlenzs xi6raib x1rohswg\" data-assistant-markdown-table-scroller=\"\">\n<table class=\"x1vathgz x1gukg7c x11r6d5e x123onwq xezivpi x17mssa0 x1ghz6dp x1x1rfll xgqtt45 x1rea2x4\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Field<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Example<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Business name<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Example Consulting Ltd.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Category<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Business Consultant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Address<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">10 Example Street<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Telephone<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">+234 XXX XXX XXXX<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Email<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">contact@example.org<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Website<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">example.org<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Opening hours<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Monday\u2013Friday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Description<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Professional consulting services<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Location<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Lagos<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Additional information<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Services and facilities<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"x1y0btm7 x9f619 xln7xf2 x17j2mab xc0rdgb xl56j7k x1q51uy1 xioxnex x2b8uid x1b2iylo xwgcxoh x1hl2dhg xtcsvct x11doy3g xwbb3bf xm5th6g x1pf1ekx x1v85zax xl65fg8 x1ysdz2l x1fo1fc9 xdsxg0b xulogpc x1cpjm7i x1btuk9t xk6xnpo x1txhlq7 xtg4hg7 x1o0wn7w xkk1bqk x1hmns74 xy5mcqj x15xj62w x9r1u3d xgwjoxm xu82sp8 x1gnnqk1 x13yhu5o x1ypdohk xrvj5dj xy5k6zg xc8icb0 x1gg8mnh x1nb6za0 xk2swo9 x1717udv x1ku5rj1 x1vjfegm x5ftvrx x1xeipyx x1ehs627 x2js1xq xwuzemt x168wqd8 x10l6tqk x130de9h\" type=\"button\" data-icon-only=\"\" data-icon-position=\"start\" data-icon-shape=\"non-circular\" data-radius=\"full\" data-size=\"small\" data-variant=\"ghost\" data-w-component=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy table\" data-table-copy-state=\"idle\" data-oai-tooltip=\"\" data-oai-tooltip-side=\"bottom\" data-oai-tooltip-side-offset=\"8\"><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This structure makes directory listings particularly suitable for data extraction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The extraction process can identify individual fields and place them into a structured dataset.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example:<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">Directory page \u2192 Business name \u2192 Address \u2192 Phone \u2192 Email \u2192 Website \u2192 Category<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The resulting information can then be stored in a spreadsheet or database.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Manual_Contact-Information_Extraction\"><\/span>3. Manual Contact-Information Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Manual extraction is the simplest approach.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A researcher opens each directory listing and records the required information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For a small project involving 20 or 30 businesses, this approach may be more efficient than developing an automated system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Manual extraction has an important advantage: the researcher can interpret context.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, a directory listing might contain two telephone numbers. One may belong to the business while another belongs to a separate branch. A human can distinguish between them more easily than a simple pattern-matching program.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Manual collection can also reduce accidental collection of irrelevant information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Its primary disadvantage is scalability. Recording hundreds or thousands of listings manually is time-consuming and increases the possibility of transcription errors.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Automated_Extraction\"><\/span>4. Automated Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">When a directory contains many listings, automated extraction can reduce repetitive work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A general extraction workflow is:<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">Identify permitted source \u2192 Retrieve listing \u2192 Parse page \u2192 Identify fields \u2192 Normalize data \u2192 Remove duplicates \u2192 Validate \u2192 Export<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The extraction software does not necessarily need to understand the entire webpage. Instead, it identifies relevant fields according to the structure of the directory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, if every listing uses a particular HTML element for telephone numbers, the extraction program can identify that element repeatedly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Structured directories therefore tend to be easier to process than arbitrary webpages.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Browser-Based_Extraction\"><\/span>5. Browser-Based Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Browser-based tools operate through a web browser and can be useful for directory research.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A browser extension can inspect the page currently being viewed and identify contact information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This approach is particularly useful for smaller projects because it requires relatively little technical configuration.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Browser-based extraction can also handle websites whose content is generated dynamically. A browser can render the page before the extraction process analyzes it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">However, browser-based extraction should respect website restrictions. A tool should not be used to bypass authentication, CAPTCHA systems, access controls, or other technical safeguards.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Desktop-Based_Extraction\"><\/span>6. Desktop-Based Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Desktop applications provide another method of processing directory information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A researcher can download or save permitted public datasets and process them locally. Desktop applications can be useful when large collections of files need to be analyzed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, a research organization may receive a collection of directory webpages or CSV files from a legitimate source. A desktop data-processing program can normalize the records, identify missing fields, and remove duplicates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Local processing can also be beneficial when the researcher wants to keep the dataset on an organizational computer rather than upload it to an external service.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_API-Based_Extraction\"><\/span>7. API-Based Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Many modern online services provide APIs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">An API allows an authorized application to request structured information from a service without having to interpret the visual webpage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This can be more reliable than scraping because the information may be delivered in structured fields.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, an API response could conceptually contain:<\/p>\n<pre class=\"x1yc453h xfk6m8 x1amw8k4 xee3sy2 x3fmiap x1y0btm7 xmkeg23 xbs2zpe xrvj5dj x1ey7xld x1jchvi3 xu4ur08 x8r4c90 xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r x2xbuc6 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj xw2csxc x32akso x1weg8eo x1rlenzs x1n2onr6 x1rohswg\" dir=\"ltr\"><code class=\"x1lliihq x1qlqyl8 xw2csxc x7p5m3t language-text\">name\r\naddress\r\ntelephone\r\nwebsite\r\ncategory\r\n<\/code><button class=\"x1y0btm7 x9f619 xln7xf2 x17j2mab xc0rdgb xl56j7k x1q51uy1 xioxnex x2b8uid x1b2iylo xwgcxoh x1hl2dhg xtcsvct x11doy3g xwbb3bf xm5th6g x1pf1ekx x1v85zax xl65fg8 x1ysdz2l x1fo1fc9 xdsxg0b xulogpc x1cpjm7i x1btuk9t xk6xnpo x1txhlq7 xtg4hg7 x1o0wn7w xkk1bqk x1hmns74 xy5mcqj xjbqb8w x15xj62w x9r1u3d xgwjoxm xu82sp8 x1gnnqk1 x13yhu5o x1ypdohk xrvj5dj xy5k6zg x22bi1w x1p6o7d4 xc8icb0 x1gg8mnh x1nb6za0 xk2swo9 x1717udv x1ku5rj1 x10l6tqk x1vjfegm\" type=\"button\" data-icon-only=\"\" data-icon-position=\"start\" data-icon-shape=\"non-circular\" data-radius=\"full\" data-size=\"small\" data-variant=\"ghost\" data-w-component=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy code\" data-code-copy-state=\"idle\" data-oai-tooltip=\"\" data-oai-tooltip-side=\"bottom\" data-oai-tooltip-side-offset=\"8\"><\/button><\/pre>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">rather than requiring the application to search through HTML.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Where an official API exists, it can provide a more predictable and maintainable method of obtaining directory information, subject to its access rules and licensing conditions.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Data_Normalization\"><\/span>8. Data Normalization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Raw directory information frequently contains inconsistencies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, the same telephone number could appear as:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"2\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"auto\"><code class=\"x1amw8k4 xymaag xbs2zpe xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x1gqwrcx xw2csxc x7p5m3t xarctil x11pq3io\">08012345678<\/code><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"auto\"><code class=\"x1amw8k4 xymaag xbs2zpe xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x1gqwrcx xw2csxc x7p5m3t xarctil x11pq3io\">0801 234 5678<\/code><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"auto\"><code class=\"x1amw8k4 xymaag xbs2zpe xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x1gqwrcx xw2csxc x7p5m3t xarctil x11pq3io\">+234 801 234 5678<\/code><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"3\">These may represent the same number.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Similarly, business names may appear with different capitalization or punctuation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Normalization converts these variations into consistent formats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A normalized dataset might use:<\/p>\n<div class=\"x1vl9vab x16b51yi xrrwrwc x16k8ytd x1qmfsro xma8rkl x17w79hz x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a6c18u x1ynbexh x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xy12xjr xvqhs1v x1nwkakj x1ink2cp x1n2onr6\" dir=\"auto\" data-assistant-markdown-table=\"\" data-assistant-table=\"\">\n<div class=\"xfk6m8 x1k33914 x8ofoeg xxf1yix xh8yej3 xw2csxc x1pqk8vl x7p5m3t x1rlenzs xi6raib x1rohswg\" data-assistant-markdown-table-scroller=\"\">\n<table class=\"x1vathgz x1gukg7c x11r6d5e x123onwq xezivpi x17mssa0 x1ghz6dp x1x1rfll xgqtt45 x1rea2x4\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Business<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Phone<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Email<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Example Ltd<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">+2348012345678<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">info@example.org<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"x1y0btm7 x9f619 xln7xf2 x17j2mab xc0rdgb xl56j7k x1q51uy1 xioxnex x2b8uid x1b2iylo xwgcxoh x1hl2dhg xtcsvct x11doy3g xwbb3bf xm5th6g x1pf1ekx x1v85zax xl65fg8 x1ysdz2l x1fo1fc9 xdsxg0b xulogpc x1cpjm7i x1btuk9t xk6xnpo x1txhlq7 xtg4hg7 x1o0wn7w xkk1bqk x1hmns74 xy5mcqj x15xj62w x9r1u3d xgwjoxm xu82sp8 x1gnnqk1 x13yhu5o x1ypdohk xrvj5dj xy5k6zg xc8icb0 x1gg8mnh x1nb6za0 xk2swo9 x1717udv x1ku5rj1 x1vjfegm x5ftvrx x1xeipyx x1ehs627 x2js1xq xwuzemt x168wqd8 x10l6tqk x130de9h\" type=\"button\" data-icon-only=\"\" data-icon-position=\"start\" data-icon-shape=\"non-circular\" data-radius=\"full\" data-size=\"small\" data-variant=\"ghost\" data-w-component=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy table\" data-table-copy-state=\"idle\" data-oai-tooltip=\"\" data-oai-tooltip-side=\"bottom\" data-oai-tooltip-side-offset=\"8\"><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Normalization makes searching, comparison, and deduplication easier.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Deduplication\"><\/span>9. Deduplication<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Directories may contain duplicate listings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A company might have multiple pages because it has:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"4\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Multiple branches.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Different categories.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Several telephone numbers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Historical listings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Duplicate submissions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"5\">The researcher must determine whether these records represent the same entity or different locations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A simple duplicate-removal process may compare business names, telephone numbers, websites, and addresses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">However, automatic deduplication should be followed by human review when accuracy is important.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Two businesses can have similar names while being completely separate organizations.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Data_Validation\"><\/span>10. Data Validation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Extraction does not guarantee accuracy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A directory may contain outdated information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"6\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A business may have moved.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A telephone number may have changed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A website may no longer exist.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">An email address may no longer be active.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A company may have closed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"7\">Validation therefore involves checking whether extracted information is consistent and relevant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Researchers can compare information across multiple public sources where appropriate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The objective is not necessarily to contact every organization but to establish whether the extracted information appears reasonable for the research purpose.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11_Privacy_and_Ethical_Considerations\"><\/span>11. Privacy and Ethical Considerations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Directory information often includes personal and organizational information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A business telephone number and general company email address are different from an individual&#8217;s personal mobile number or private email address.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Researchers should therefore distinguish between different categories of contact information.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Organizational_information\"><\/span>Organizational information<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Examples include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"8\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><code class=\"x1amw8k4 xymaag xbs2zpe xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x1gqwrcx xw2csxc x7p5m3t xarctil x11pq3io\">info@company.org<\/code><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><code class=\"x1amw8k4 xymaag xbs2zpe xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x1gqwrcx xw2csxc x7p5m3t xarctil x11pq3io\">support@company.org<\/code><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Main office telephone number.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"9\">These addresses are often deliberately published for public contact.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Individual_information\"><\/span>Individual information<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Examples include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"10\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A person&#8217;s direct personal email address.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A private mobile number.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Personal contact details appearing in a professional listing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"11\">The collection of individual information can raise greater privacy concerns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The appropriate approach is to collect only information necessary for the stated purpose.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"12_Legal_and_Platform_Considerations\"><\/span>12. Legal and Platform Considerations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The legal conditions surrounding directory extraction vary depending on the jurisdiction, data involved, source, and intended use.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Before collecting information, researchers should review:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"12\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The directory&#8217;s terms of service.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Data-protection requirements.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Privacy policies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Copyright or database-right considerations.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">API licensing terms.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Restrictions on automated access.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Institutional research policies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"13\">Public accessibility should not be interpreted as unlimited permission to reproduce or redistribute an entire database.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A directory may make individual listings publicly visible while imposing restrictions on automated collection or commercial reuse.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Consequently, responsible extraction begins with understanding the conditions under which the information is provided.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h1 class=\"x1yc453h xngnso2 x7amdea x1i21sxh xhacrq1 x1iykcro x1mshyef x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r x1alsn5q x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Case_Study_Extracting_Business_Contact_Information_From_a_Public_Directory\"><\/span>Case Study: Extracting Business Contact Information From a Public Directory<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Background\"><\/span>Background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Consider a fictional university research team conducting a study of small businesses in Lagos.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The research objective is to analyze the distribution of publicly listed business services across several industries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The team decides to study businesses appearing in a publicly accessible online directory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The researchers need four fields:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x3yw8vx xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"14\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Business name.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Business category.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Public business telephone number.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Public organizational email address, where one is explicitly listed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"15\">They decide not to collect personal social-media accounts or personal telephone numbers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The figures below are hypothetical and are provided only to demonstrate the methodology.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_1_Source_Selection\"><\/span>Stage 1: Source Selection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The researchers identify a directory containing several thousand public business listings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Before collecting information, they review the site&#8217;s terms and available access mechanisms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">They determine that their research must remain within the permitted access conditions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">They select a defined group of categories, including:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"16\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Consulting.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Information technology.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Education.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Hospitality.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Professional services.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"17\">The team also defines a geographic boundary for the research.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_2_Dataset_Design\"><\/span>Stage 2: Dataset Design<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Before extraction begins, the researchers create a database structure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"x1vl9vab x16b51yi xrrwrwc x16k8ytd x1qmfsro xma8rkl x17w79hz x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a6c18u x1ynbexh x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xy12xjr xvqhs1v x1nwkakj x1ink2cp x1n2onr6\" dir=\"auto\" data-assistant-markdown-table=\"\" data-assistant-table=\"\">\n<div class=\"xfk6m8 x1k33914 x8ofoeg xxf1yix xh8yej3 xw2csxc x1pqk8vl x7p5m3t x1rlenzs xi6raib x1rohswg\" data-assistant-markdown-table-scroller=\"\">\n<table class=\"x1vathgz x1gukg7c x11r6d5e x123onwq xezivpi x17mssa0 x1ghz6dp x1x1rfll xgqtt45 x1rea2x4\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Field<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Purpose<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Listing ID<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Identifies the record<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Business name<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Identifies the organization<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Category<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Describes business activity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Location<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Records geographic information<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Telephone<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Public business contact<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Email<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Public organizational contact<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Website<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Business website<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Source<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Records origin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Collection date<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Establishes when data was obtained<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"x1y0btm7 x9f619 xln7xf2 x17j2mab xc0rdgb xl56j7k x1q51uy1 xioxnex x2b8uid x1b2iylo xwgcxoh x1hl2dhg xtcsvct x11doy3g xwbb3bf xm5th6g x1pf1ekx x1v85zax xl65fg8 x1ysdz2l x1fo1fc9 xdsxg0b xulogpc x1cpjm7i x1btuk9t xk6xnpo x1txhlq7 xtg4hg7 x1o0wn7w xkk1bqk x1hmns74 xy5mcqj x15xj62w x9r1u3d xgwjoxm xu82sp8 x1gnnqk1 x13yhu5o x1ypdohk xrvj5dj xy5k6zg xc8icb0 x1gg8mnh x1nb6za0 xk2swo9 x1717udv x1ku5rj1 x1vjfegm x5ftvrx x1xeipyx x1ehs627 x2js1xq xwuzemt x168wqd8 x10l6tqk x130de9h\" type=\"button\" data-icon-only=\"\" data-icon-position=\"start\" data-icon-shape=\"non-circular\" data-radius=\"full\" data-size=\"small\" data-variant=\"ghost\" data-w-component=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy table\" data-table-copy-state=\"idle\" data-oai-tooltip=\"\" data-oai-tooltip-side=\"bottom\" data-oai-tooltip-side-offset=\"8\"><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The inclusion of the source and collection date is important because directory information can change.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_3_Collection\"><\/span>Stage 3: Collection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The team collects relevant public listings using an approved access method.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For a small sample, researchers manually record information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For larger quantities, an authorized automated process can identify the relevant fields.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Suppose the initial dataset contains <strong class=\"x7amdea\">2,500 listings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_4_Cleaning\"><\/span>Stage 4: Cleaning<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The researchers discover several problems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Some listings contain no email address.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Some businesses have duplicate listings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Some telephone numbers contain different formatting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Some businesses have been categorized incorrectly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The researchers therefore clean the dataset.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">After removing duplicates and records that do not meet the research criteria, they retain <strong class=\"x7amdea\">1,850 listings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Again, these figures are illustrative rather than results from a real directory.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_5_Contact_Classification\"><\/span>Stage 5: Contact Classification<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The researchers examine the email fields.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">They distinguish between organizational addresses and individual addresses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example:<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><code class=\"x1amw8k4 xymaag xbs2zpe xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x1gqwrcx xw2csxc x7p5m3t xarctil x11pq3io\">info@example.org<\/code><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">is classified as a general organizational contact.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">An address clearly belonging to a named individual is excluded because it is outside the study&#8217;s research objective.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The resulting dataset contains <strong class=\"x7amdea\">1,120 public organizational email addresses<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_6_Validation\"><\/span>Stage 6: Validation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The researchers compare a sample of the extracted records against their original directory listings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">They find that most records were extracted correctly, but several telephone numbers were incorrectly interpreted because of inconsistent page formatting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">They adjust their extraction rules and repeat the process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This illustrates an important principle of automated data collection: <strong class=\"x7amdea\">quality control should be part of the extraction process rather than an activity performed only after extraction is complete<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_7_Analysis\"><\/span>Stage 7: Analysis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The researchers then analyze the cleaned dataset.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">They might examine:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"18\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The proportion of listings containing public organizational email addresses.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The distribution of businesses by category.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The frequency of websites among businesses.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The number of listings with telephone information.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Changes in directory information over time.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"19\">The researchers do not need to publish the entire raw contact database to report these findings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"20\">Instead, they can present aggregated results.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"21\">For example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"x1vl9vab x16b51yi xrrwrwc x16k8ytd x1qmfsro xma8rkl x17w79hz x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a6c18u x1ynbexh x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xy12xjr xvqhs1v x1nwkakj x1ink2cp x1n2onr6\" dir=\"auto\" data-assistant-markdown-table=\"\" data-assistant-table=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"22\">\n<div class=\"xfk6m8 x1k33914 x8ofoeg xxf1yix xh8yej3 xw2csxc x1pqk8vl x7p5m3t x1rlenzs xi6raib x1rohswg\" data-assistant-markdown-table-scroller=\"\">\n<table class=\"x1vathgz x1gukg7c x11r6d5e x123onwq xezivpi x17mssa0 x1ghz6dp x1x1rfll xgqtt45 x1rea2x4\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Category<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Listings<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Public organizational email<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Consulting<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">420<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">275<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Information technology<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">380<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">290<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Education<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">350<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">210<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Hospitality<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">400<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">185<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Professional services<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">300<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">160<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">Total<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">1,850<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">1,120<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"x1y0btm7 x9f619 xln7xf2 x17j2mab xc0rdgb xl56j7k x1q51uy1 xioxnex x2b8uid x1b2iylo xwgcxoh x1hl2dhg xtcsvct x11doy3g xwbb3bf xm5th6g x1pf1ekx x1v85zax xl65fg8 x1ysdz2l x1fo1fc9 xdsxg0b xulogpc x1cpjm7i x1btuk9t xk6xnpo x1txhlq7 xtg4hg7 x1o0wn7w xkk1bqk x1hmns74 xy5mcqj x15xj62w x9r1u3d xgwjoxm xu82sp8 x1gnnqk1 x13yhu5o x1ypdohk xrvj5dj xy5k6zg xc8icb0 x1gg8mnh x1nb6za0 xk2swo9 x1717udv x1ku5rj1 x1vjfegm x5ftvrx x1xeipyx x1ehs627 x2js1xq xwuzemt x168wqd8 x10l6tqk x130de9h\" type=\"button\" data-icon-only=\"\" data-icon-position=\"start\" data-icon-shape=\"non-circular\" data-radius=\"full\" data-size=\"small\" data-variant=\"ghost\" data-w-component=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy table\" data-table-copy-state=\"idle\" data-oai-tooltip=\"\" data-oai-tooltip-side=\"bottom\" data-oai-tooltip-side-offset=\"8\"><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"23\">These numbers are illustrative.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"24\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"25\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13_Lessons_From_the_Case_Study\"><\/span>13. Lessons From the Case Study<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"26\">The case study illustrates several important lessons.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"27\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_planning_is_essential\"><\/span>First, planning is essential<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"28\">The researchers define their objectives before collecting information. This prevents unnecessary data collection.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"29\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Second_directory_structure_matters\"><\/span>Second, directory structure matters<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"30\">Structured listings make automated extraction easier because fields can be identified consistently.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"31\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Third_extraction_and_validation_are_different\"><\/span>Third, extraction and validation are different<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"32\">A system can successfully extract information that is nevertheless outdated or incorrectly categorized.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"33\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fourth_context_matters\"><\/span>Fourth, context matters<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"34\">The researchers distinguish organizational contact information from personal information.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"35\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fifth_source_records_should_be_retained\"><\/span>Fifth, source records should be retained<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"36\">Recording where and when information was obtained allows researchers to verify their results.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"37\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sixth_data_minimization_reduces_risk\"><\/span>Sixth, data minimization reduces risk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"38\">The researchers do not collect information that is unnecessary for their research question.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"39\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"40\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14_Common_Challenges\"><\/span>14. Common Challenges<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"41\">Contact-information extraction from directories can encounter several challenges.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"42\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Changing_page_structures\"><\/span>Changing page structures<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"43\">Directory websites may redesign their pages, causing automated extraction rules to fail.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"44\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incomplete_listings\"><\/span>Incomplete listings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"45\">Some businesses may provide only a telephone number and no email address.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"46\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incorrect_information\"><\/span>Incorrect information<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"47\">Businesses may fail to update their listings after changing contact information.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"48\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Duplicate_businesses\"><\/span>Duplicate businesses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"49\">Multiple listings can represent the same organization.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"50\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dynamic_webpages\"><\/span>Dynamic webpages<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"51\">Some information may be loaded after the initial page request.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"52\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Anti-automation_measures\"><\/span>Anti-automation measures<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"53\">Directories may employ technical mechanisms designed to manage or restrict automated access.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"54\">Researchers should not attempt to circumvent such mechanisms. Instead, they should use permitted access methods or seek permission from the directory operator.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"55\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"56\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"15_Future_of_Directory_Information_Extraction\"><\/span>15. Future of Directory Information Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"57\">The future of contact-information extraction is likely to involve greater use of artificial intelligence and structured data.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"58\">Machine-learning systems can help identify relationships between fields and detect anomalies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"59\">For example, an intelligent system might recognize that:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"x1ux7cnd xp43mbd x1yc453h x1qeawuv x19gujjy x1cpjm7i x1g6lqjk x1ft583c x1682cnc x1hmns74 xbs2zpe x17mssa0 x19ekbn6 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1m9urvh x1fv8qjw x128ud7f x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj x26vrf4 xutjtvt x1n2onr6\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"60\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cABC Consulting Limited\u201d and \u201cABC Consulting Ltd.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"61\">are probably the same organization when their addresses and telephone numbers also match.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"62\">AI can also assist with categorizing businesses and identifying incomplete records.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"63\">Another important development is the increasing use of structured web data. Websites can provide machine-readable information about organizations, addresses, services, and other entities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"64\">APIs and structured datasets may therefore become increasingly important alternatives to traditional webpage scraping.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"65\">At the same time, privacy and data-governance requirements will continue to influence how contact information is collected and used.<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"x1yc453h xngnso2 x7amdea x1i21sxh xhacrq1 x1iykcro x1mshyef x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r x1alsn5q x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"History_of_Extracting_Contact_Information_From_Directory_Listings\"><\/span>History of Extracting Contact Information From Directory Listings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction-2\"><\/span>Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The extraction of contact information from directory listings has a long history that predates the Internet. For centuries, people have created organized lists to help locate individuals, businesses, institutions, and services. Early directories existed as printed books, professional registers, trade catalogs, telephone directories, and government records. Their fundamental purpose was to make information easier to discover.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The development of computers and the Internet transformed this process. Information that was once recorded on paper gradually moved into databases and eventually onto websites. As online directories became widespread, the task of collecting contact information changed from manually reading printed pages to searching digital databases and, later, automatically processing webpages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Contact information can include names, postal addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, websites, business categories, and geographic locations. The techniques used to extract these details have evolved alongside computing technology. Early methods relied heavily on manual transcription and basic database searches. Later systems introduced automated text processing, web crawling, browser-based extraction, APIs, structured data, and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The history of directory extraction is therefore closely connected to the broader history of information retrieval. It demonstrates how society has moved from paper-based information management toward increasingly automated and intelligent systems.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Early_Printed_Directories\"><\/span>1. Early Printed Directories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The origins of directory information can be traced to printed reference materials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Before computers, directories were commonly produced for particular communities or industries. Telephone directories were among the most recognizable examples. They organized subscribers according to names, addresses, and telephone numbers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Business directories served a similar function. They could categorize organizations according to industry, geographic location, or type of service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The major limitation of printed directories was that extracting information was entirely manual. A person had to locate the relevant page, read the information, and write or type it into another document.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">If a researcher wanted information about 500 businesses, the researcher might have to inspect hundreds of pages and manually copy the required fields.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This process was slow and vulnerable to transcription errors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Nevertheless, printed directories established the basic structure that later digital directories would adopt:<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">Name \u2192 Category \u2192 Address \u2192 Telephone \u2192 Additional contact information<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_The_Introduction_of_Computerized_Databases\"><\/span>2. The Introduction of Computerized Databases<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The development of computers during the mid-twentieth century introduced a major change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Organizations began storing records electronically instead of relying exclusively on paper. Database-management systems allowed information to be stored in structured fields.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A business record could contain separate fields for:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"1\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Business name.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Address.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Telephone number.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Category.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Contact person.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Geographic location.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"2\">This separation of information was important because computers could search individual fields.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Instead of manually scanning an entire directory, a user could ask a database to return all businesses in a particular city or category.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The concept of extraction therefore began to shift from <strong class=\"x7amdea\">manual copying<\/strong> toward <strong class=\"x7amdea\">query-based retrieval<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Mainframe_and_Early_Database_Systems\"><\/span>3. Mainframe and Early Database Systems<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">During the 1960s and 1970s, large organizations increasingly used mainframe computers to manage records.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Government agencies, telecommunications companies, universities, banks, and large businesses maintained electronic databases.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">At this stage, directory extraction was generally an internal organizational activity. Users with appropriate access could query databases to retrieve selected records.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The technology was still expensive and required specialized technical knowledge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Nevertheless, the underlying principles remain relevant to modern extraction:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x3yw8vx xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"3\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Store information in structured records.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Identify relevant fields.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Search according to defined criteria.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Return matching records.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Export or use the results elsewhere.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Personal_Computers_and_Spreadsheet_Software\"><\/span>4. Personal Computers and Spreadsheet Software<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"5\">The arrival of personal computers in the late 1970s and 1980s made data management available to a much broader population.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Spreadsheet applications allowed users to create their own directories.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, a small company could maintain a spreadsheet containing:<\/p>\n<div class=\"x1vl9vab x16b51yi xrrwrwc x16k8ytd x1qmfsro xma8rkl x17w79hz x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a6c18u x1ynbexh x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xy12xjr xvqhs1v x1nwkakj x1ink2cp x1n2onr6\" dir=\"auto\" data-assistant-markdown-table=\"\" data-assistant-table=\"\">\n<div class=\"xfk6m8 x1k33914 x8ofoeg xxf1yix xh8yej3 xw2csxc x1pqk8vl x7p5m3t x1rlenzs xi6raib x1rohswg\" data-assistant-markdown-table-scroller=\"\">\n<table class=\"x1vathgz x1gukg7c x11r6d5e x123onwq xezivpi x17mssa0 x1ghz6dp x1x1rfll xgqtt45 x1rea2x4\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Business<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Address<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Telephone<\/th>\n<th class=\"xpps94y x1q0q8m5 xso031l xbs2zpe x7amdea xl2ypbo x26vrf4 x9rjddi xibp4oe x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Email<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Company A<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Address A<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Number A<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Email A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Company B<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Address B<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Number B<\/td>\n<td class=\"xsfyl8r x1q0q8m5 xso031l x1dre2lj xbs2zpe x15n2anh xme8oex x1xro15f x9rjddi x5xtxb0 x1c1uobl x1yc453h\">Email B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"x1y0btm7 x9f619 xln7xf2 x17j2mab xc0rdgb xl56j7k x1q51uy1 xioxnex x2b8uid x1b2iylo xwgcxoh x1hl2dhg xtcsvct x11doy3g xwbb3bf xm5th6g x1pf1ekx x1v85zax xl65fg8 x1ysdz2l x1fo1fc9 xdsxg0b xulogpc x1cpjm7i x1btuk9t xk6xnpo x1txhlq7 xtg4hg7 x1o0wn7w xkk1bqk x1hmns74 xy5mcqj x15xj62w x9r1u3d xgwjoxm xu82sp8 x1gnnqk1 x13yhu5o x1ypdohk xrvj5dj xy5k6zg xc8icb0 x1gg8mnh x1nb6za0 xk2swo9 x1717udv x1ku5rj1 x1vjfegm x5ftvrx x1xeipyx x1ehs627 x2js1xq xwuzemt x168wqd8 x10l6tqk x130de9h\" type=\"button\" data-icon-only=\"\" data-icon-position=\"start\" data-icon-shape=\"non-circular\" data-radius=\"full\" data-size=\"small\" data-variant=\"ghost\" data-w-component=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy table\" data-table-copy-state=\"idle\" data-oai-tooltip=\"\" data-oai-tooltip-side=\"bottom\" data-oai-tooltip-side-offset=\"8\"><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This did not automatically extract information from external sources, but it provided an important destination for extracted data.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Researchers could manually copy information from printed directories or other sources into spreadsheets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">As spreadsheet capabilities improved, sorting, filtering, searching, and duplicate detection became easier.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_The_World_Wide_Web_and_Online_Directories\"><\/span>5. The World Wide Web and Online Directories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The development of the World Wide Web during the 1990s transformed directory systems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Organizations began publishing information online, and directory companies began creating websites that allowed users to search business information electronically.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">An online directory could provide thousands or millions of listings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Unlike a printed directory, an online directory could be updated more frequently and searched using keywords.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Users could search by:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"6\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Business name.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Industry.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Location.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Postal code.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Service.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Telephone number.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"7\">This created the foundation for modern contact-information extraction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A researcher no longer needed to copy information from paper. Instead, information could be retrieved from webpages and transferred into digital datasets.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Search_Engines_and_Information_Retrieval\"><\/span>6. Search Engines and Information Retrieval<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The growth of the Web created another major development: search engines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Search engines indexed enormous numbers of webpages and allowed users to find information using keywords.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Although search engines were not designed primarily as contact-information extraction systems, their indexes made it easier to discover directory listings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Researchers could locate relevant directories, identify categories, and inspect individual records.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The development of search engines also influenced automated information retrieval. Web crawlers were created to discover and index pages systematically.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The same general crawling concept later became important in automated directory extraction.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Early_Web_Scraping\"><\/span>7. Early Web Scraping<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">During the late 1990s and early 2000s, web scraping became increasingly accessible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A web scraper is software that retrieves webpages and extracts selected information from them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For a directory, the process might involve:<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">Directory webpage \u2192 HTML \u2192 Relevant fields \u2192 Structured record<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">If a directory used consistent HTML structures, a program could identify business names, telephone numbers, addresses, and websites automatically.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This represented a major improvement over manual copying.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, instead of recording 1,000 business listings individually, a program could process the pages according to predefined extraction rules.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">However, early web scraping had limitations. Websites often used inconsistent HTML, making extraction difficult. Changes in webpage design could also break a scraper.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_The_Rise_of_Structured_Directory_Data\"><\/span>8. The Rise of Structured Directory Data<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">As web technology matured, websites began adopting more structured methods of describing information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Structured data allowed webpages to identify entities such as organizations, addresses, events, products, and contact information in machine-readable ways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This made automated extraction more reliable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Instead of trying to determine whether a piece of text represented a telephone number based solely on its appearance, a system could use structured information indicating that the field was specifically a telephone number.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This development represented an important shift toward <strong class=\"x7amdea\">semantic extraction<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The system was increasingly able to understand what a piece of information represented rather than simply copying visible text.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Browser-Based_Extraction\"><\/span>9. Browser-Based Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Browser technology also developed rapidly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Modern browsers became capable of running complex JavaScript applications and interacting with dynamic webpages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Browser extensions could add specialized functionality to the browsing environment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For directory research, browser-based extraction tools could identify information from the page currently being viewed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This was particularly useful for researchers who did not need to process millions of records. They could inspect a listing and extract selected fields directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Browser-based extraction also helped address the problem of dynamic webpages. Some modern directories load information after the initial webpage has been retrieved. A browser can render that content before an extraction process examines the page.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Cloud_Computing_and_Online_Extraction_Platforms\"><\/span>10. Cloud Computing and Online Extraction Platforms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The growth of cloud computing during the 2000s and 2010s introduced another significant change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Previously, users generally needed to install extraction software on their computers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Cloud platforms allowed processing to occur on remote servers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A typical cloud-based workflow became:<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">Open browser \u2192 Select source \u2192 Process online \u2192 Receive structured results<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This approach provided several benefits:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"8\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Centralized software updates.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Access from multiple devices.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Reduced installation requirements.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Integration with online databases.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Easier collaboration.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"9\">However, it also introduced questions about data security and privacy. Users needed to understand what information was being transferred to external systems and how it was stored.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11_APIs_and_Modern_Directory_Access\"><\/span>11. APIs and Modern Directory Access<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Application programming interfaces became increasingly important as online platforms matured.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">An API allows an application to request information from a service in a structured manner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, an authorized directory API might provide fields such as:<\/p>\n<pre class=\"x1yc453h xfk6m8 x1amw8k4 xee3sy2 x3fmiap x1y0btm7 xmkeg23 xbs2zpe xrvj5dj x1ey7xld x1jchvi3 xu4ur08 x8r4c90 xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r x2xbuc6 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj xw2csxc x32akso x1weg8eo x1rlenzs x1n2onr6 x1rohswg\" dir=\"ltr\"><code class=\"x1lliihq x1qlqyl8 xw2csxc x7p5m3t language-text\">Business name\r\nCategory\r\nAddress\r\nTelephone\r\nWebsite\r\nLocation\r\n<\/code><button class=\"x1y0btm7 x9f619 xln7xf2 x17j2mab xc0rdgb xl56j7k x1q51uy1 xioxnex x2b8uid x1b2iylo xwgcxoh x1hl2dhg xtcsvct x11doy3g xwbb3bf xm5th6g x1pf1ekx x1v85zax xl65fg8 x1ysdz2l x1fo1fc9 xdsxg0b xulogpc x1cpjm7i x1btuk9t xk6xnpo x1txhlq7 xtg4hg7 x1o0wn7w xkk1bqk x1hmns74 xy5mcqj xjbqb8w x15xj62w x9r1u3d xgwjoxm xu82sp8 x1gnnqk1 x13yhu5o x1ypdohk xrvj5dj xy5k6zg x22bi1w x1p6o7d4 xc8icb0 x1gg8mnh x1nb6za0 xk2swo9 x1717udv x1ku5rj1 x10l6tqk x1vjfegm\" type=\"button\" data-icon-only=\"\" data-icon-position=\"start\" data-icon-shape=\"non-circular\" data-radius=\"full\" data-size=\"small\" data-variant=\"ghost\" data-w-component=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy code\" data-code-copy-state=\"idle\" data-oai-tooltip=\"\" data-oai-tooltip-side=\"bottom\" data-oai-tooltip-side-offset=\"8\"><\/button><\/pre>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This can be more reliable than interpreting the HTML structure of a webpage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">API-based access can also provide clearer rules regarding permitted data use, request limits, authentication, and licensing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">As a result, APIs increasingly became an important alternative to conventional webpage scraping.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"12_Mobile_and_Location-Based_Directories\"><\/span>12. Mobile and Location-Based Directories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The growth of smartphones created another major stage in directory development.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Users increasingly searched for businesses based on their current or selected location.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Modern directory platforms could combine business information with geographic data.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Listings could contain:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"10\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Business name.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Address.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Telephone number.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Website.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Opening hours.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Coordinates.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Reviews.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Categories.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"11\">This made directory data considerably richer than traditional printed directories.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Extraction systems therefore increasingly needed to process not just contact information but also geographic and descriptive data.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13_Artificial_Intelligence_and_Intelligent_Extraction\"><\/span>13. Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The latest stage in the development of directory extraction involves artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Traditional extraction systems rely heavily on predefined rules.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, a program may be instructed:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"x1ux7cnd xp43mbd x1yc453h x1qeawuv x19gujjy x1cpjm7i x1g6lqjk x1ft583c x1682cnc x1hmns74 xbs2zpe x17mssa0 x19ekbn6 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1m9urvh x1fv8qjw x128ud7f x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj x26vrf4 xutjtvt x1n2onr6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Find the element containing the business name.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">AI-based systems can potentially interpret less structured information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">An intelligent system might determine that:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"x1ux7cnd xp43mbd x1yc453h x1qeawuv x19gujjy x1cpjm7i x1g6lqjk x1ft583c x1682cnc x1hmns74 xbs2zpe x17mssa0 x19ekbn6 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1m9urvh x1fv8qjw x128ud7f x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj x26vrf4 xutjtvt x1n2onr6\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cABC Consulting Limited, 15 Main Street, Lagos, +234&#8230;, info@example.org\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">represents a business entity and then identify the individual components.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Machine learning can also assist with:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"12\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Business classification.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Duplicate detection.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Address normalization.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Entity matching.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Identifying missing information.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Detecting inconsistent records.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"13\">This is particularly valuable when different directories represent the same organization in different ways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example:<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">ABC Consulting Ltd.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">and<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">ABC Consulting Limited<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">may refer to the same organization.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">An intelligent system can consider the name, address, telephone number, and website together rather than relying on exact text matching.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14_Case_Study_Historical_Development_of_a_Business_Directory_Project\"><\/span>14. Case Study: Historical Development of a Business Directory Project<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Consider a fictional research organization that wants to build a directory of small businesses.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Phase_One_Printed_Research\"><\/span>Phase One: Printed Research<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">In the early period of the project, researchers use printed business directories.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">They manually record business names, addresses, and telephone numbers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The information is entered into spreadsheets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The process is slow and requires substantial manual checking.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Phase_Two_Digital_Databases\"><\/span>Phase Two: Digital Databases<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">As computerized directories become available, researchers begin importing structured records into a database.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Searching becomes faster.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">They can identify businesses according to location and category without manually examining every record.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Phase_Three_Online_Directories\"><\/span>Phase Three: Online Directories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">When the Web becomes widespread, the organization begins using online directories.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Researchers can search business listings through a browser and copy relevant information into the organization&#8217;s database.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The process becomes faster, but manual copying remains necessary.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Phase_Four_Automated_Extraction\"><\/span>Phase Four: Automated Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The organization later develops an automated extraction system for permitted public directory pages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The system identifies business names, addresses, telephone numbers, and websites.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The workflow becomes:<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong class=\"x7amdea\">Directory \u2192 Automated retrieval \u2192 Field extraction \u2192 Normalization \u2192 Deduplication \u2192 Database<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Suppose the system initially collects 10,000 records.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">After cleaning, the organization identifies 7,800 unique businesses.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Phase_Five_API_Integration\"><\/span>Phase Five: API Integration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The organization subsequently begins using authorized APIs where available.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Instead of relying entirely on webpage structure, the system receives structured records.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">This reduces some of the problems associated with changing webpage layouts.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Phase_Six_AI-Assisted_Processing\"><\/span>Phase Six: AI-Assisted Processing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Finally, the organization introduces AI-assisted data cleaning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The system identifies likely duplicate businesses and normalizes inconsistent names and addresses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The project has therefore evolved from manual transcription to increasingly automated information management.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The case study illustrates a broader historical pattern: <strong class=\"x7amdea\">technology gradually reduced the amount of manual work required while increasing the scale and complexity of information that could be processed.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"15_Challenges_Throughout_the_History_of_Directory_Extraction\"><\/span>15. Challenges Throughout the History of Directory Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Although extraction technology has improved, several challenges have remained consistent.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Accuracy\"><\/span>Accuracy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A directory may contain outdated information.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Duplication\"><\/span>Duplication<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The same business may appear multiple times.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Inconsistent_formatting\"><\/span>Inconsistent formatting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Addresses and telephone numbers can be represented in many formats.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Website_changes\"><\/span>Website changes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Automated extraction systems can stop working when website structures change.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incomplete_records\"><\/span>Incomplete records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Some listings contain only a business name and telephone number, while others provide much more information.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Privacy\"><\/span>Privacy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Individual contact information may require additional consideration even when publicly visible.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"x1yc453h x1c3i2sq x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Data_ownership_and_reuse\"><\/span>Data ownership and reuse<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A directory may impose conditions on copying, storing, or redistributing its database.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">These challenges demonstrate that extraction is not simply a technical process. It is also a data-quality and governance problem.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"16_Privacy_and_Responsible_Data_Collection\"><\/span>16. Privacy and Responsible Data Collection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">The modern history of directory extraction has increasingly emphasized responsible use.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A public directory may contain information deliberately published for business communication. However, the collection and aggregation of that information can create additional privacy implications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Responsible researchers should therefore:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"14\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Define the purpose of collection.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Collect only necessary fields.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Respect platform terms and applicable laws.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Avoid bypassing technical access controls.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Protect extracted datasets.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Distinguish organizational contacts from personal information.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Avoid unnecessary redistribution of personal information.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlty9xr xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Retain information only for as long as required.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"15\">These principles are especially relevant when directories contain individual professionals rather than organizations.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"x1sy0etr x2b9quz xclthos x13fuv20 x178xt8z xkgv12d x1q8ys2x xc8tqf8 x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x178dpqu x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xqsupf2 xrxpjvj\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"x1yc453h x1603h9y x1gtpwm6 x7amdea x1i21sxh xladpa3 x1iykcro xma8rkl x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw x1a024ua x14l7nz5 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"17_The_Future_of_Directory_Extraction\"><\/span>17. The Future of Directory Extraction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Directory extraction is likely to become increasingly automated and intelligent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Future systems may combine APIs, browser technologies, structured data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Instead of simply extracting fields, systems may create continuously updated business knowledge bases.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">For example, an advanced system could identify that:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"xonam98 x1epdd7z xemmon1 xn020vs xfl32do xluzp7q x1yc453h x38giro xat24cr x1xobyvs x1fv8qjw xdj266r xrxpjvj x1bxe5rh\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"16\">\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr xitg8i0\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A company changed its address.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr xitg8i0\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Its telephone number changed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr xitg8i0\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Its website was updated.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr xitg8i0\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">Two listings represent the same organization.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"x1datfip xp5n6w9 x2xbuc6 xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi xlty9xr xitg8i0\">\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\">A business has moved into a different category.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"17\">The emphasis will therefore shift from simple extraction toward <strong class=\"x7amdea\">continuous data maintenance and entity intelligence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1yc453h xma8rkl xgoqxah xutxfr x1fie51u xgyxj25 x1xobyvs x1elgs31 x1fv8qjw xcy5tzr x1ht4adc xnvauns x1c2l018 x14l7nz5 xuw7688 x1pjt2rx x160d6zm xrxpjvj xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\" dir=\"ltr\" data-assistant-stream-block=\"\" data-assistant-stream-block-index=\"18\" data-streaming-stylex-tokens=\"xitg8i0 xlecmv9 x1ytk7xi\">At the same time, privacy and data governance will remain important. More sophisticated technology does not remove the need to determine whether information should be collected or how it should be used.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Extracting Contact Information From Directory Listings: Methods, History, and Case Study Introduction Online directories have become an important source of publicly available business and organizational&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[270],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-digital-marketing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Extracting Contact Info From Directory Listings - Lite14 Tools &amp; Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lite14.net\/blog\/2026\/09\/22\/extracting-contact-info-from-directory-listings\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Extracting Contact Info From Directory Listings - Lite14 Tools &amp; 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