Judge keeps most of Reddit's DMCA and conspiracy claims against SerpApi and Perplexity alive

In a July 31, 2026 ruling in the Southern District of New York, the court largely denied motions to dismiss Reddit's lawsuit against scraping service SerpApi and AI company Perplexity. The circumvention claims under the DMCA and a New York civil conspiracy claim proceed, while a Section 1201(b) trafficking claim and state unjust enrichment and unfair competition claims were dismissed. The case is at the pleading stage, so the merits are not decided.

• Ruling dated July 31, 2026, in the Southern District of New York
• Surviving claims: DMCA section 1201(a) circumvention against SerpApi and Perplexity, and a 1201(a)(2) trafficking claim against SerpApi
• Surviving claim: New York civil conspiracy, with the DMCA violation as the underlying tort
• Dismissed: section 1201(b) trafficking claim, and state unjust enrichment and unfair competition claims
• The court found Reddit has Article III standing and plausibly pleaded injury to its copyrights