On April 8, 2026, the Knight Institute, the ACLU, and the ACLU of Northern California filed an amicus brief in Amazon v. Perplexity AI, a case concerning liability under federal and state computer crime laws for the use of digital tools that automate how users access and interact with websites and online platforms. The case centers on Perplexity’s browser, which the company claims allows users to deploy AI “agents” to browse websites like Amazon.com and perform tasks on their behalf.

The amicus brief warns that adopting Amazon’s interpretation of the laws at issue would chill journalism and research that serves the public interest. Journalists and researchers increasingly use automated digital tools—including scrapers, browser extensions, and other AI-powered tools—to study online platforms and the ways in which they shape public discourse. Like Perplexity’s AI agents, these tools often rely on users to voluntarily provide them with access to their accounts. The brief argues that the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California’s analog should not be interpreted to prohibit these user-directed activities, because doing so would implicate the basic tools of digital investigation necessary for research and journalism online. 

Status: Briefing ongoing. 

Case Information: Amazon.com Servs., LLC v. Perplexity AI, Inc., No. 26-1444 (9th Cir.)