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BBC Threatens Legal Action Against AI Startup Perplexity Over Content Scraping, FT Reports

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The BBC has threatened to take legal action against AI startup Perplexity, accusing the company of using BBC content to train its “default AI model,” according to the Financial Times report on Friday. This marks the British broadcaster as the latest news organization to allege content scraping by the AI firm.

The BBC may seek an injunction unless Perplexity stops scraping its content, deletes any existing copies used for AI training, and submits “a proposal for financial compensation” to address the alleged misuse of its intellectual property, the FT said, citing a letter sent to Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas.

The broadcaster confirmed the report in a statement to Reuters.

Perplexity has faced similar accusations from other media outlets including Forbes and Wired for plagiarizing their content. In response, the startup has launched a revenue-sharing program aimed at addressing publishers’ concerns.

In October last year, the New York Times sent Perplexity a “cease and desist” letter demanding the company stop using its content for generative AI.

Since the rise of ChatGPT, publishers have expressed concerns about AI chatbots combing the internet to extract information and generate summarized content for users.

According to the FT report, the BBC said parts of its content were reproduced verbatim by Perplexity, and links to the BBC website have appeared in the AI startup’s search results.

Perplexity described the BBC’s claims as “manipulative and opportunistic,” stating that the broadcaster has “a fundamental misunderstanding of technology, the internet and intellectual property law,” in a statement to Reuters.

Perplexity’s service provides information by searching the internet, similar to ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. The startup is backed by notable investors including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, AI leader Nvidia, and Japan’s SoftBank Group.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Perplexity is in advanced talks to raise $500 million in a funding round that would value the company at $14 billion.

China Threatens Legal Action Over U.S. Chip Restrictions Targeting Huawei

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China has issued a sharp warning, stating that it may pursue legal consequences against individuals or organizations that participate in enforcing or complying with U.S. restrictions aimed at limiting the use of advanced Chinese semiconductors.

The statement, released by China’s Ministry of Commerce, comes in response to new U.S. guidance issued last week. That guidance warned companies they may violate U.S. export controls if they use Ascend AI chips made by Shenzhen-based tech giant Huawei.

China accused the U.S. of engaging in “discriminatory restrictive measures” and warned of “corresponding legal liabilities” for those who assist or implement such policies. The ministry urged Washington to respect international trade laws and to stop actions that disrupt global supply chains or unfairly target Chinese firms.

The escalation reflects mounting tensions in the global tech war between the U.S. and China. Huawei, which has long been a focal point in this dispute, continues to face export restrictions over alleged national security concerns. The new U.S. advisory targets the AI segment — a crucial area of technological competition — where Huawei’s Ascend chips are gaining traction.

While the Chinese statement did not specify what form legal action might take, the warning suggests that Beijing could respond with domestic legal challenges or retaliatory trade and regulatory measures against companies perceived as cooperating with U.S. sanctions.

Independent Turkish News Websites Threatened by Google’s Algorithm Changes

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Several independent media outlets in Turkey are facing potential closure due to significant changes made to Google’s algorithms, which have drastically reduced the reader traffic to their websites. According to a joint statement from the affected outlets, since the end of January 2025, Google’s updates have largely eliminated the traffic that was previously directed to them through Google’s “Discover” and “News” tools. This decline in traffic has severely impacted their financial sustainability.

Independent news outlets such as T24, Medyascope, Diken, and Birgun have expressed concern that these changes not only harm their businesses but also limit the public’s access to news. The outlets have announced plans to take legal action in response, aiming to protect their corporate rights, the work of their employees, and the support of their readership, which they claim has been unfairly affected by the changes. They are also seeking legal recourse from both local and international legal bodies, including Turkey’s Competition Authority.

A spokesperson from Google responded, stating that the recent algorithm changes were not targeted at individual websites. Instead, the adjustments were made to improve the overall search experience. “We don’t and would never manipulate search results, modify our products, or enforce our policies to promote or disadvantage any particular viewpoint,” the spokesperson said.

Turkey ranks 158th out of 180 countries on the Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. The group noted that with 90% of Turkey’s media under government influence, the public has increasingly relied on independent news sources for accurate and critical information. However, these outlets are heavily dependent on Google revenues, as private companies are often reluctant to advertise on independent media websites.

Amidst these challenges, Gazete Duvar, another independent news outlet, announced its closure on Wednesday, attributing the decision to revenue losses caused by the changes in Google’s algorithms, compounded by the economic pressures of inflation.