Welcome to Socially Aware

Socially Aware is devoted to the law and business of social media, proactively addressing emerging issues and keeping our clients informed of new developments. We cover fields such as artificial intelligence, privacy and data security, Section 230, intellectual property, and much more.

April 02, 2014 - Internet of Things, FTC, Privacy
The Internet of Things Part 1: Brave New World
By: Alistair Maughan
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of everyday physical objects that surround us and are increasingly being embedded with technology to enable those objects to collect and transmit data about their use and surroundings. TVs connected to the Internet and refrigerators connected
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April 01, 2014 - Copyright, IP, Litigation
The Umpire Strikes Back: European Court Rules That ISPs Can Be Forced to Block Pirate Websites
By: Alistair Maughan
On March 27, 2014, the highest court in the European Union—the Court of Justice for the European Union (CJEU)— decided that copyright owners have the right to seek injunctions against Internet service providers (ISPs) requiring the ISPs to block access to pirate websites illegally
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March 31, 2014 - E-Discovery, Discovery, Litigation
U.S. Courts’ Evolving Approaches to Social Media E-Discovery
By: J. Alexander Lawrence
Courts across the United States have now made clear that discovery of social media is fair game. At the same time, courts have consistently found that litigants will not be permitted to engage in social media fishing expeditions; rather, litigants will be required to
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March 27, 2014 - Copyright, IP
Copyright: Europe Explores its Boundaries: Part 1: Link Hubs
INTRODUCTION This year, as the world celebrates the 25 th anniversary of the World Wide Web, the Web’s founder, Tim Berners-Lee, has called for a fundamental reappraisal of copyright law. By coincidence, this year we also anticipate a rash of UK and European legislative
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March 27, 2014 - Copyright, IP, Litigation
Google Ordered to Remove All Copies of Anti-Islamic Film From YouTube After Actress With Bit Part Threatened by Outraged Muslims; Decision Puzzles Copyright Attorneys
By: J. Alexander Lawrence
An aspiring actress moves to California and finds her life threatened. While standard fare for pulp fiction, the case of Garcia v. Google involves a twist on this well-worn plot line that not even the most imaginative Hollywood scriptwriter could invent. Cindy Lee Garcia
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March 25, 2014 - Privacy, Employment Law
Employer Access to Employee Social Media: Applicant Screening, ‘Friend’ Requests and Workplace Investigations
By: Melissa M. Crespo
A 2013 CareerBuilder survey of hiring managers and human resource professionals reports that more than two in five companies use social networking sites to research job candidates. This interest in social networking does not end when the candidate is hired: to the contrary, companies
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March 04, 2014 - FTC, Privacy, Financial Institutions
A Smart Wallet
Another great post from our sister blog, MoFo Tech : The potential for mobile payments is huge. So are the potential legal and regulatory hurdles. Banks, retailers, and pundits are paying a lot of attention to mobile payments, which typically involve the use of smartphones
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March 03, 2014 - Privacy, Litigation
German Court Rules Against Facebook’s “Friend Finder”
On January 24, 2014, in a case filed against Facebook by German consumer protection association VZBV , the Berlin Court of Appeal (“Court”) upheld a lower court ruling that Facebook’s “Friend Finder” function is unlawful. The Court agreed with the Berlin Regional Court’s 2012
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February 19, 2014 - Wearable Computers
Driving Under the Influence (of Google Glass)
In September 2013, Socially Aware took a close look at the potential legal issues confronting users of Google Glass, the now instantly recognizable, compact head-mounted display mounted on a pair of specially designed eyeglass frames, which lets wearers access a variety of customized smartphone
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February 05, 2014 - Online Promotions, Privacy, Event, Employment Law, IP
Social Media 2014: Addressing Corporate Risks
Please join Socially Aware editor John Delaney as he chairs Practising Law Institute’s (PLI) “Social Media 2014: Addressing Corporate Risks.” Issues to be addressed at the conference include: Social media: how it works, and why it is transforming the business world Drafting and updating
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