SerpApi is asking a federal court to dismiss Reddit’s lawsuit over alleged removal of Reddit content from Google Search, saying Reddit is trying to use copyright law to control user posts and public search results.
- The motion follows an amended complaint filed by Reddit in February.
- SerpApi claims that the filing still fails to demonstrate copyright ownership, breach of technical protection, or physical harm.
SerpApi conflict. SerpApi CEO Julien Khaleghy, in a blog post today, said the case fails for several reasons:
- Reddit does not own much of the content in question. Its user agreement states that users retain ownership.
- Reddit has a non-exclusive license for user posts.
- Excerpts from the complaint (eg, dates, addresses, short excerpts) are not copyrighted.
- SerpApi accessed the Google Search pages, not Reddit itself.
The DMCA. Khaleghy said Reddit claims SerpApi violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by bypassing technical safeguards. SerpApi disputes that claim, saying it returns the same search results that are visible to anyone who enters a query into Google. Khaleghy argued that:
- SerpApi does not break encryption or bypass authentication.
- Accessing public web pages is not “infringement” under the DMCA.
- Reddit is trying to enforce copyright protection that is not yours.
- Reddit’s privacy policy states that public posts may appear in search results.
Grab it fast. The legal battles over search scraping and AI data have intensified in recent months:
Why do we care. The case examines whether companies can remove information from Google search results without violating copyright or the DMCA. The result can affect SEO tools and AI training data.
What’s next. The court must decide whether Reddit’s amended complaint can proceed. If the judge dismisses the lawsuit with prejudice, Reddit’s claims against SerpApi in this case will end.
SerpApi blog post. Reddit’s Lawsuit is a dangerous attempt to expand the platform’s power
Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush. We are committed to providing the highest quality of marketing articles. Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is written by an employee or paid contractor of Semrush Inc.
