We’re proud to announce that the online platform JD Supra has named Socially Aware co-founder and co-editor John Delaney as the recipient of one of its 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards. John was chosen from among the nearly 50,000 writers who
Socially Aware Blog
The Law and Business of Social Media
The Socially Aware Blog, published by Morrison & Foerster LLP, focuses on legal developments at the intersection of social media, technology, and consumer protection. It covers topics such as evolving auto-renewal laws for subscription services, social media platform policies and rebranding, intellectual property issues related to online content embedding, legislative challenges to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, and emerging consumer contract regulations in digital services. The blog analyzes regulatory changes, court decisions, and policy debates affecting social media companies, digital platforms, and consumers, with attention to privacy, content moderation, copyright, and technology-driven legal challenges.
Latest from Socially Aware Blog - Page 11
Social Links: Revenge porn victim awarded $6.4M; the discoverability of photos posted to Facebook; can users be blocked from government officials’ social media accounts?
By John Delaney & Aaron Rubin
Based on copyright infringement, emotional distress and other claims, a federal district court in California awarded $6.4 million to a victim of revenge porn, the posting of explicit material without the subject’s consent. The judgment is believed to be one…
The Coming Border Wars: U.S. Court Decision Refusing to Enforce Canadian Court Order Highlights the Growing Balkanization of the Internet
By Hywote Taye & John Delaney
Does a search engine operator have to delist websites hosting, without authorization, your trade secret materials or other intellectual property? The answer may depend on where you sue—just ask Google. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California…
EU Regulation Reform—Unjustified Geo-Blocking to Be Phased Out by End of 2018
Geo-blocking is the practice of preventing Internet users in one jurisdiction from accessing services elsewhere based on the user’s geographic location. The European Commission wants to eliminate geo-blocking within the EU—and has taken a significant step forward in its plans
…
Lawsuit Against Online Dating App Grindr Dismissed Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act continues to act as one of the strongest legal protections that social media companies have to avoid being saddled with crippling damage awards based on the misdeeds of their users.
The strong protections…
Social Links: Inline link to tweet with photo could constitute copyright infringement; proposed California legislation could restrict website operators’ efforts to have minors consent to terms of use
By John Delaney & Aaron Rubin
In a decision that has generated considerable controversy, a federal court in New York has held that the popular practice of embedding tweets into websites and blogs can result in copyright infringement. Plaintiff Justin Goldman had taken a photo of…
U.S. v. Microsoft Leaves SCOTUS Between a Rock and a Hard Place
In February the U.S Supreme Court heard oral arguments in United States v. Microsoft. At issue is Microsoft’s challenge to a warrant issued by a U.S. court directing it to produce emails stored in Ireland. With implications for government investigations,…
The FTC’s Quest for Better Influencer Disclosures
In the last few years, as advertising has followed consumers from legacy media such as television to online video and social media platforms, the Federal Trade Commission has been attempting to ensure that participants in this new advertising ecosystem understand…
All Eyes on Fair Use: The Second Circuit Delivers a Victory for Copyright Owners
In U.S. copyright law circles, one of the hottest topics of debate is the degree to which the fair use doctrine—which allows for certain unauthorized uses of copyrighted works—should protect companies building commercial products and services based on content created…
California Court Holds That YouTube’s Removal Notice Is Not Defamatory
As we have noted previously, YouTube users sometimes object when the online video giant removes their videos based on terms-of-use violations, such as artificially inflated view counts. In a recent California case, Bartholomew v. YouTube, LLC, the court rejected…