Google Escapes Claims It Misused Genius Lyric Transcriptions

Genius Media Group Inc.'s claims that Google LLC misappropriated its lyric transcriptions are preempted by the Copyright Act, a Brooklyn federal court ruled.

Genius runs a popular lyric site of the same name, and says its transcriptions are often the top Google search results for song lyrics. Google created a search feature called an “Information Box” that sometimes displays the full lyrics to a song before the first result. Genius said Google copied its transcriptions to use in the boxes, noting digital watermarks from its site that appeared in the Google lyrics.

Genius sued Google in New York state court ...