Brave Software, the developer of the Brave browser and Brave Search engine, has filed a lawsuit in a federal court in San Francisco against media holding News Corp. The company demands that the indexing of web content used in its search engine be legally recognized. In response, News Corp accuses Brave of illegally copying and distributing copyrighted materials from The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. This conflict highlights the ongoing confrontation between media companies and tech corporations over control of digital content.
Claims and Counterclaims
On February 27, 2025, News Corp sent Brave an official claim accusing the company of illegally scanning its web resources, indexing content, and using it without authorization. According to News Corp’s statement, Brave benefits commercially from unauthorized copying of content, which is displayed in search results and may also be monetized or transferred to third parties. News Corp demands that such practices cease immediately and seeks compensation for damages caused.
In response, Brave filed a lawsuit insisting that indexing web pages is essential for search engine operation, as practiced by Google, Bing, and Brave Search. The company stated that its activities comply with the principle of “fair use,” since it does not copy original content but provides links to the source materials. Brave also emphasized that News Corp is leveraging its market position to create artificial barriers, hindering competition in the search technology sector.
Brave noted that Brave Search holds less than 1% of the global market, while Google dominates with nearly 90%. Brave also highlighted that its search engine does not rely on Google or Bing APIs, instead building its own index from direct web page analysis. News Corp, however, maintains that Brave is illegally commercializing others’ content, damaging the media industry.
Broader Implications for AI and Search
Brave further warned that News Corp’s actions could slow the development of generative AI technologies. Current AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini depend on search indexes to generate responses. Blocking indexing of News Corp’s resources, Brave argues, would create a dangerous precedent that might limit the functionality of search engines and AI technologies alike.
News Corp has brought in its UK and Australian divisions, along with its Dow Jones subsidiary, in the lawsuit against Brave, underscoring the conflict’s international reach. This case is part of a broader media strategy aimed at protecting copyrights and preventing tech corporations from exploiting journalistic content. Notably, in October, News Corp filed a similar lawsuit against Perplexity AI, accusing the startup of mass copying its articles for use in user responses without proper attribution.
News Corp CEO Robert Thomson strongly criticized Brave, claiming that its business model relies on exploiting others’ content. He stated, “Unauthorized scanning and then reselling our materials to search engines and AI companies is not ‘fair use’—it is brazen abuse.” Thomson argued that Brave profits from other people’s content without adding original value.
This lawsuit is one of many ongoing disputes between media companies and tech corporations, adds NIXSOLUTIONS. In recent years, major publishers have pushed for legal regulation of their content’s use in the digital landscape. For example, in 2023, The New York Times sued OpenAI, alleging that the company used its articles to train ChatGPT without permission.
Brave seeks a ruling confirming that its indexing practices are legal, claiming they do not violate copyright laws but instead promote free information access. However, if the court sides with News Corp, it could set a precedent requiring search engines and AI companies to obtain licenses to use news content. Such a decision could lead to closed digital ecosystems, where media companies monetize access to their materials, restricting their distribution. Yet we’ll keep you updated as more details emerge and the case develops.