Diffbot
AI Data ScraperDownloads content for AI model training without direct attribution.
Recommended action: Review robots.txt policy and decide if training access is acceptable.
Category
AI Data Scraper
Primary use case
AI model training
Trust level
Review recommended
Trust Levels
- Trusted
- Generally safe
- Review recommended
- Caution advised
Trust levels are an indication based on category, operator, and robots.txt compliance. Always review bot activity for your specific situation.
Learn how we assess trustrobots.txt
Unknown
What is Diffbot?
AI Data Scraper bot
What Diffbot means for your site
Diffbot downloads your content to include in datasets used to train AI models, with an undocumented operator. Your text becomes part of the AI's general knowledge, but without direct attribution or links. This is a key distinction: training crawlers take your content, AI assistants cite it. You can control training access via robots.txt without affecting citations.
What should you do?
- Decide whether you want this operator to train on your content
- Note: Diffbot does not respect robots.txt, server-side blocking required
- Monitor crawl patterns for unexpected spikes
- Review BotSights data to see which pages are targeted
How to identify Diffbot
Diffbot uses the user-agent "diffbot" and robots.txt compliance unconfirmed. It crawls broadly and systematically, often downloading full page content.
diffbotDiffbotFrequently Asked Questions
Can I stop Diffbot from using my content?
Diffbot does not respect robots.txt. You need server-side rules or a WAF to block it.
Does blocking Diffbot affect my AI visibility?
No. Blocking a training crawler only prevents your content from being used for model training. AI assistants (like ChatGPT-User) use separate bots that are not affected.
Is my content being used without permission?
Training crawlers collect publicly accessible content. The legal and ethical landscape around this is evolving. Robots.txt gives you a practical control mechanism.
Other AI Data Scraper bots
See which pages AI training crawlers target
Monitor training-oriented bots, identify the content they access most, and decide what to allow or block.
- Track training crawler activity per page
- See exactly which content is being scraped
- Make smarter allow or block decisions
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