Is Google being sued for web scraping?

Yes, Google is facing a lawsuit from SerpApi, a web scraping tool company, which alleges that Google engages in web scraping practices similar to those it accuses SerpApi of doing. SerpApi argues that Google doesn't own a copyright on its search results because they are built on publicly available information.

What is SerpApi's defense against Google's copyright lawsuit?

SerpApi defends itself by claiming Google is the "largest scraper on the planet" and that SerpApi is simply doing what Google does. They argue that Google's search results are built on publicly available information and therefore not subject to copyright.

Google Sued for Scraping? Plus AI Voice Cloning & Antitrust Issues

Q: What is the David Greene lawsuit against Google about?

David Greene, a former NPR host, is suing Google for allegedly using his voice without permission to train its NotebookLM AI. Greene claims Google violated California's right to publicity and unfair competition law by replicating his voice, though Google denies these allegations, stating the voice was performed by a professional actor.

Google is facing a multifaceted challenge to its data practices. A lawsuit from SerpApi claims Google scrapes the web just like everyone else, while a separate suit alleges unauthorized use of a radio host's voice in its NotebookLM AI. These legal battles, alongside antitrust concerns raised by European publishers, could reshape how Google gathers and uses data.

Web Scraping Lawsuit

SerpApi, a company offering web scraping tools, is in a legal battle with Google. Google sued SerpApi in December, alleging copyright infringement and accusing the company of bypassing its anti-scraping measures (SearchGuard feature). The core of Google's argument is that SerpApi is unfairly extracting its search results "at an astonishing scale."

SerpApi's Defense

SerpApi's response is direct: Google is the "largest scraper on the planet," and SerpApi is simply doing what Google does. The company argues that Google doesn't own a copyright on its search results, claiming they are built on publicly available information.

Voice Cloning Controversy

Adding to Google's legal woes, former NPR host David Greene has sued the company. The lawsuit alleges that Google used Greene's voice without permission to train its NotebookLM AI product. Greene claims Google violated California's right to publicity and unfair competition law by replicating his voice.

Google's Response

Google denies the allegations. According to the company, the voice used in NotebookLM was performed by a professional actor hired by Google. Greene reportedly hired a forensic software company specializing in voice recognition to compare his voice to the one in NotebookLM.

Antitrust Complaint from European Publishers

Beyond these individual lawsuits, Google faces broader antitrust scrutiny. The European Publishers Council (EPC) has filed an antitrust complaint concerning Google’s AI Overviews. They allege that Google is using publishers' content for AI training without proper licensing or compensation. To maintain visibility on Google Search, publishers must reportedly accept that their content is "crawled, reproduced, and repurposed for Google’s AI features."

Data Transfer Lawsuits

Google is also facing lawsuits alleging improper data transfers to China-based companies. Three proposed class actions claim Google shared consumer browsing activity with third parties participating in its advertising ecosystem, including companies controlled by the Chinese government. The lawsuits allege violations of federal and state privacy laws.

Web scraper sued by Google claims Google is the one scraping the web