Google has initiated a lawsuit against SerpApi, a company that monetizes access to its search engine results. The tech giant argues that SerpApi bypasses legal boundaries and Google’s policies by scraping and reselling search data—an act that threatens the integrity of its search ecosystem.

While SerpApi and similar services serve a demand for quick access to search results, their operations exist in a legal gray area. Google does not officially offer an API for its search data, which is built on the world’s most extensive web index. This makes Google’s search results particularly valuable, especially in AI applications like chatbots, which rely on accurate data to generate summaries and insights.

Experts highlight that such scraping can undermine content owners’ rights and violate website terms. According to industry analysts, Google’s move signals a tougher stance on protecting proprietary search data, especially as AI-driven tools increasingly depend on these results. Reddit previously filed a lawsuit against SerpApi and Perplexity for similar reasons, emphasizing the importance of respecting content ownership rights.

Google emphasizes that safeguarding its search results helps protect the interests of content creators and website owners, ensuring fair access and usage of their digital assets.

David Nield

Dave is a freelance tech journalist with over 20 years covering gadgets, apps, and the web. From Stockport, England, he covers news, features, and reviews for TechRadar, focusing on phones, tablets, and wearables. He ensures top weekend breaking news and has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci, and others. He edited PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook for years. Read me on x.com or linkedin.