SerpApi counters Google copyright lawsuit with 'hypocrisy' defense

SerpApi argues that Google holds no copyright over its search results, asserting that the engine itself is built upon the labor of others who publish information online. According to the defense, SerpApi is merely replicating the core function of Google: using automated tools to crawl public websites, synthesize the data, and provide relevant insights to customers. The company maintains that its actions are functionally identical to the processes Google employs on a global level.

Furthermore, the motion addresses allegations that SerpApi circumvented Google’s SearchGuard feature. The defense contends that the protection tool is designed solely to shield Google’s business interests rather than to guard licensed content. By framing the dispute as a matter of industrial hypocrisy, SerpApi seeks to invalidate claims of Copyright Act violations, insisting that the information scraped from public sites lacks the necessary legal protections Google claims to enforce.