There is so much going on in the Internet space that I have compiled some of the most interesting happenings of June. They all link to more info. Please read, enjoy and let me know if you want me to expand on anything!
Are threats made on social media protected free speech, or potentially criminal acts? The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to examine the constitutionality of a federal law making it a crime to transmit communications containing “any threat to injure the person of another.” In this case, the “threats” were in a series of Facebook postings.
Be careful what you post on Facebook, you might get a ticket for it… A woman in a Chicago suburb received a $50 ticket in the mail alleging that she had used a dog park without a permit. The ticket was based entirely on a Facebook posting that the woman had made, and the police immediately rescinded it, saying that they do not monitor social media in search of potential lawbreakers.
It might be a crime to friend your boss if you live in Arkansas! Arkansas legislators are considering changing a 2013 law after Facebook informs them that the law may have inadvertently made it a crime for a boss and an employee to become Facebook friends.
Snapchat may have competition. According to the Los Angeles Times, Facebook prematurely released, then withdrew, a new mobile app called Slingshot that is intended to compete with Snapchat and permit users to send each other photo and video messages.
Is Twitter in trouble? Twitter’s leadership was thrown into disarray on June 12 after Ali Rowghani resigned suddenly as the company’s chief operating officer amid a dispute with Chief Executive Dick Costolo. Twitter’s stock has fallen about 42 percent this year as concerns have arisen that the company is not signing up enough new users.
Should you make social media rules for your marriage? More and more couples are sitting down with their lawyers before marriage to discuss a social media clause in their prenuptial agreement – covering what they can and cannot say or post about each other. These agreements appear to be enforceable in court if they are specific enough.
The CIA is on Twitter! The CIA has entered the realm of social media, setting up a Twitter presence and a Facebook account. There one can find, among other things, reflections on intelligence history and fun facts from the CIA World Factbook.
Can’t ask for personal social media account logins in Louisiana! On May 23, Louisiana became the latest state to enact a law prohibiting employers and public and private educational institutions from requiring applicants, employees, and students to provide access to their personal online accounts.
Every company would be well advised scrutinize their marketing practices on an ongoing basis to ensure that they do not inadvertently expose the company to risks under the Lanham Act. Two US Supreme Court cases decided this term could result in a substantial increase in the number of Lanham Act claims brought under that statute alleging “unfair competition” resulting from product labeling and marketing practices that are alleged to be false or misleading.
- Lexmark International, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc., No. 12-873, slip op. (March 25, 2014), in which the Supreme Court broadly construed the Lanham Act to permit lawsuits by all companies alleging injuries that were proximately caused by false or misleading advertising or promotion, even if the plaintiff was not a direct competitor of the defendant and suffered only “collateral damage.”
- Pom Wonderful LLC v. Coca-Cola Co., No. 12–761, slip op. (June 12, 2014), the Court’s second Lanham Act case of the term, in which it eliminated a potential safe harbor from Lanham Act claims for companies in regulated industries who complied fully with applicable regulations regarding the labeling and marketing of their products.
Interested in being social anonymously? It is harder than you think… Recently a variety of “private” media platforms have emerged. For years, social media platforms have facilitated (or even, in many cases, required) us to use our real identities, with the aim of building friendships and networks in the online world. But these new social media apps (such as “Secret,” “Whisper,” “Yik Yak”) are designed specifically to enable users to share posts anonymously.
“Anonymous” doesn’t necessarily mean anonymous. Even if users are not required to provide any form of contact details to use an anonymous app, the app is very likely to collect certain information that will help identify the user (e.g., the unique digital ID of the user’s phone, location information, etc.). Therefore, it could be be fairly easy to trace a user if required (e.g., by subpoena/court order). Indeed Secret’s Terms of Service state, “We may share information about you … in response to a request for information if we believe disclosure is in accordance with any applicable law, regulation or legal process, or as otherwise required by any applicable law, regulation or legal process.”
For more updates visit: http://www.sociallyawareblog.com
The Digital Counselor 