Google and Reddit Lose Legal Battle Over Web Scraping

What Happened?

A U.S. federal court dismissed the lawsuit filed by Google against SerpApi, a scraping company that extracts Google search results and sells them as a service. Google filed the lawsuit in December 2025, invoking the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and arguing that SerpApi circumvented its anti-scraping measures to access copyrighted content, such as knowledge panels. However, the court ruled that Google's search results are essentially facts or data not protectable by copyright, and scraping such results does not constitute infringement. The case, which also involved Reddit as a co-plaintiff, was dismissed with prejudice, though Google has announced it will appeal the decision.

This ruling comes amid growing tension between major tech platforms and AI developers, who rely on scraping public data to train their models. Google had attempted to use the DMCA as a tool to block scrapers like SerpApi, but the court considered that the text snippets displayed in search results—such as titles, descriptions, and excerpts—are not original creative works but mere compilations of factual data. According to Ars Technica, Google argued that its anti-scraping measures protected third-party licensed content, such as knowledge panels, but the judge determined that even those panels do not meet the originality threshold required for copyright protection.

Why Is This Important?

The decision has far-reaching implications for the digital ecosystem, especially in the realm of artificial intelligence and data collection. By establishing that search results are not copyrighted works, the court has set a precedent that could weaken efforts by Google, Reddit, and other platforms to restrict scraping through intellectual property claims. Historically, platforms have used the DMCA to remove infringing content, but this case marks a clear limit: the law does not protect the mere aggregation of facts, even if organized in a structured format like a search results page.

For AI developers, the ruling reduces the legal risk of large-scale data collection from public sites. Companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and smaller startups now have a strong judicial argument to defend their scraping practices. However, the legal battle is far from over. Google has confirmed it will appeal and may resort to other laws, such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), which prohibits unauthorized access to computer systems. Meanwhile, platforms like Reddit have tightened their terms of service and begun charging for API access, a strategy that has already sparked controversy among third-party app developers.

Consequences for the Digital Ecosystem

The impact of the ruling can be broken down into several levels:

• For AI and scraping: The decision paves the way for more aggressive collection of public data, which could accelerate the training of language models and other AI applications. However, it may also trigger a backlash from platforms, which could implement more sophisticated technical barriers or push for legislative changes. The case echoes the legal battle between LinkedIn and hiQ Labs in 2019, where an appeals court ruled that scraping public data was legal, setting a precedent now reinforced by this new decision.
• For platforms: Google and Reddit lose a key legal tool to block scrapers. In the short term, they may intensify the use of CAPTCHAs, IP blocking, and other technical measures, as well as modify their terms of service to explicitly prohibit scraping. However, the copyright avenue is now closed, forcing platforms to seek legal or technical alternatives. Reddit, in particular, has been at the center of controversy after charging for API access, which sparked massive moderator protests in 2023. This ruling could weaken its position in future negotiations with scrapers.
• For copyright: The court reaffirmed the doctrine that facts and data are not protectable by copyright, even if compiled in a database or presented in a structured manner. This limits the scope of the DMCA in the context of scraping and could influence future cases on intellectual property in the AI era. For example, the ongoing case against Stability AI for using copyrighted images to train models could be affected, though in that case, the images are indeed creative works protected by copyright.

SerpApi's lawyer stated: "Google and Reddit do not own the internet," summarizing the spirit of the decision. However, the tech community is closely watching the next steps. Google has already announced it will appeal, and the case is likely to reach higher courts, where the precedent could be reversed or nuanced. Additionally, the U.S. Congress may consider specific legislation on scraping and data for AI, adding another layer of uncertainty.

What Should Readers Know?

This case is not the end of the battle but a milestone in a broader conflict between data control and innovation. For startups and AI developers, the decision reduces immediate legal risk but does not eliminate the possibility of lawsuits based on other laws, such as the CFAA or terms of service violations. Companies that rely on scraping must ensure compliance with unauthorized access laws and respect reasonable technical measures, although the court did not consider circumventing anti-scraping measures illegal in this case.

For ordinary users, the ruling could have mixed effects. On one hand, more open access to public data could foster competition and innovation in AI, benefiting consumers with better products. On the other hand, platforms may become more restrictive in accessing their services, limiting customization or increasing costs for third-party developers. The balance between data ownership and innovation is constantly being redefined in courts, and this case is a reminder that the law is still adapting to the digital age.

"This ruling is not a blank check for indiscriminate scraping, but it is a recognition that public data is not the private property of platforms," commented a legal analyst cited by Ars Technica.

The tech community will closely monitor Google's appeal as the debate over who controls data on the internet intensifies. The decision could also influence the European Union, where the Digital Single Market Copyright Directive has already sparked controversy over the use of data for AI. In summary, the SerpApi case marks a turning point in the fight over data, but the final outcome has yet to be written.