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 23, 2012 - Financial Institutions
California Provides Social Media Guidance for Financial Institutions
By: Julie O'Neill
While Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media platforms have become an increasingly important tool for businesses across industries to meet their customers’ needs and expectations, financial institutions have been slow to embrace social media. This is likely attributable to the highly regulated environment
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April 10, 2012 - FTC, Privacy
FTC’s Privacy Report Suggests Tightening of Privacy Regime, Provides Guidance to Business
By: Julie O'Neill
On March 26, 2012, the Federal Trade Commission (the “Commission” or “FTC”) released its much-anticipated final privacy report, Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change. The report builds upon the Commission’s December 2010 preliminary report, and provides recommendations for businesses and policymakers
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April 05, 2012 - Crowdsourcing, Securities Law, SEC, JOBS Act
The JOBS Act Opens Door for Crowdfunding Offerings
For several months, various legislative proposals that would ease regulatory and financing burdens on smaller companies have been discussed by legislators, business leaders and commentators. These proposals were brought together under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act (H.R. 3606). The JOBS Act was
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March 15, 2012 - Terms of Use
Facebooks’s Online Terms of Service Held to Be Enforceable
In the recent online contracting case of Fteja v. Facebook, Inc. , a New York federal court held that a forum selection clause contained in Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (the “Terms”) was enforceable because the plaintiff assented to the Terms when registering
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March 09, 2012 - E-Personation
Vindictive Ex-girlfriend Could Face 18 Months in Prison for Facebook “E-Personation”
By: Jessica Kaufman
Late last year, Superior Court Judge David Ironson in Morristown, New Jersey, declined to dismiss an indictment of identity theft against Dana Thornton, who allegedly created a false Facebook page that portrayed her ex-boyfriend, narcotics detective Michael Lasalandra, in a highly unfavorable light. According
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February 21, 2012 - Arbitration, Supreme Court
Click-Accept Arbitration: Enforcing Arbitration Provisions in Online Terms of Service
Companies that provide services to consumers have often sought to reduce the risk of class action lawsuits by requiring that their customers agree to arbitrate any disputes. Such arbitration agreements may require customers to arbitrate on an individual basis only, with customers being obligated
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February 14, 2012 - Terms of Use, Employment Law, IP
District Court Considers Value of Twitter Account
“Man, what do I write here? And what’s it going to be valued at?” So read Noah Kravitz’s Twitter profile soon after Magistrate Judge Maria-Elena James of the Northern District of California denied Kravitz’s motion to dismiss a number of claims brought against him
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February 13, 2012 - FTC, Online Promotions
Warning Signs: Promotions Using Facebook’s “Like” Feature
By: Julie O'Neill
In a recent case of first impression, the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (“NAD”) – an industry forum for resolving disputes among advertisers – addressed an advertiser’s use of Facebook’s “like” feature in connection with an online promotion. Such
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January 17, 2012 - DMCA, FTC, Privacy, Copyright, Infographic, IP, Supreme Court
Key Moments in Social Media Law
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January 07, 2012 - Terms of Use, Privacy, Employment Law, IP
Editor’s Predictions for 2012
By: Aaron P. Rubin
To ring in the New Year, the Socially Aware editors provide their predictions regarding social media law and business developments in the coming year (please keep in mind that, if we were good at this prediction thing, we wouldn’t be practicing law for a
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Welcome to Socially Aware

California Provides Social Media Guidance for Financial Institutions

By: Julie O'Neill

FTC’s Privacy Report Suggests Tightening of Privacy Regime, Provides Guidance to Business

By: Julie O'Neill

The JOBS Act Opens Door for Crowdfunding Offerings

Facebooks’s Online Terms of Service Held to Be Enforceable

Vindictive Ex-girlfriend Could Face 18 Months in Prison for Facebook “E-Personation”

By: Jessica Kaufman

Click-Accept Arbitration: Enforcing Arbitration Provisions in Online Terms of Service

District Court Considers Value of Twitter Account

Warning Signs: Promotions Using Facebook’s “Like” Feature

By: Julie O'Neill

Key Moments in Social Media Law

Editor’s Predictions for 2012

By: Aaron P. Rubin