Web scraping is the process of extracting data from websites using automated tools or scripts. This technique involves retrieving web page content and parsing it to gather specific information, such as text, images, or links. Web scraping is commonly used for data aggregation, competitive analysis, and market research. It enables users to collect large volumes of data efficiently and systematically from various online sources, but it must be done in compliance with website terms of service and legal regulations to avoid issues related to data privacy and intellectual property.