Socially Aware

July 07, 2015 - Status Updates, Copyright, Mobile, IP
Status Updates: Artist sues Pinterest; texting for teens without data plans; quit smoking with social media
By: Aaron P. Rubin
Pin pain. As a primarily visual social media platform whose self-described purpose is to help users bookmark and save “ good stuff you find anywhere around the web ,” Pinterest has raised copyright infringement questions since it became explosively popular in 2012. In many
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June 30, 2015 - Online Promotions, Terms of Use, Labor Law, Copyright, Employment Law, Arbitration, IP, Litigation
Five Social Media Law Issues To Discuss With Your Clients
By: Aaron P. Rubin
The explosive growth of social media has clients facing legal questions that didn’t even exist a few short years ago. Helping your clients navigate this muddled legal landscape will have them clicking “like” in no time. What’s in a Like? Not long ago, the
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May 11, 2015 - Copyright, IP, Litigation
Rolling With the Punches: The Fight Over Livestreaming
By: Aaron P. Rubin
Boxing fans eagerly awaited the May 2, 2015, championship match between boxers Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. But the fight also drew the interest of those following online video apps Meerkat and Periscope. Launched at the end of February 2015, Meerkat is a
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February 03, 2015 - IP
EU Copyright: No Resale of Digital Content Except for Software?
By: Kristina Ehle
How Does the European Court of Justice Decision on Exhaustion of the Distribution Right upon First Sale Impact the Resale of Digital Copies? The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has decided that the rule of exhaustion of the distribution right upon first sale (in
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November 25, 2014 - Online Promotions, IP
Mark Your Calendar: Dec. 4th Digital Media Bootcamp for NYC Area Lawyers & Artists
The Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts will be presenting an all-day “bootcamp” covering digital media and related legal issues on Thursday, December 4, 2014, at Morrison & Foerster LLP’s New York office. The courses will be directed to both attorneys and artists, and will
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October 27, 2014 - IP
Counterfeit Goods: Has the War on ISPs Just Gotten Tougher?
The pressure on ISPs to take responsibility for the sites accessible through their services has been growing in recent years (e.g., the requirement for certain ISPs to block filesharing sites ). On October 17, 2014, the High Court of England and Wales took this
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June 25, 2014 - Copyright, IP, Litigation, Supreme Court
Supreme Court Stifles Aereo, but Tries to Keep the Cloud Away
In a closely watched case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today in a 6-3 decision that Aereo’s Internet streaming service engages in unauthorized public performances of broadcast television programs in violation of the Copyright Act, reversing the Second Circuit’s decision in American Broadcasting Companies,
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May 22, 2014 - Copyright, IP, Litigation, Supreme Court
Supreme Court Finds Laches Does Not Bar Copyright Infringement Claim: Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.
The doctrine of laches cannot be invoked as a bar to a plaintiff’s claim for damages brought within the Copyright Act’s three-year statute of limitations period, according to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. The Court, in a 6-3
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April 24, 2014 - Copyright, IP, Litigation, Supreme Court
Which Way is Aereo Pointing? The Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Public Performance Copyright Case
In a case that could have a broad impact on how companies deliver content to consumers, the Supreme Court heard oral argument on April 22 in American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. v. Aereo, Inc. (No. 13-461). At issue is whether Aereo’s service engages in public performances under
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April 03, 2014 - Internet of Things, FTC, Privacy, Ethics, IP
The Internet of Things Part 2: The Old Problem Squared
By: Alistair Maughan
Cisco estimates that 25 billion devices will be connected in the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2015, and 50 billion by 2020. Analyst firm IDC makes an even bolder prediction: 212 billion connected devices by 2020. This massive increase in connectedness will drive a
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