"Everyone has a right to access public data. And we believe that whether you are accessing that data by typing in a URL in a web browser, through a CURL request, an RSS feed, a cached copy, or having someone read it to you aloud, does not change your right to access public data. "

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, but I believe this is, sadly, dead wrong. The infamous Computer Fraud and Abuse Act contains a provision barring not just unauthorized access to computer systems but also accessing such systems in a manner that exceeds authorized access. In other words, if you break terms of service on a website, you may be in violation of the CFAA.

The ACLU last year filed suit to overturn this provision of CFAA, on the grounds that it chills research into civil rights violations, as well as academic research and journalism. https://www.aclu.org/cases/sandvig-v-sessions-challenge-cfaa...