SF Bay ISOC Tech Policy Webinar 7 June The US Supreme Court set an important legal precedent regarding copyright law and computer code in it’s April 2021 landmark legal ruling (Google, LLC v. Oracle America, Inc.) when it ruled that Google’s use of Java Application Programming Interface (API) codes is…
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The Internet in Everything: Freedom and Security in a World With No Off Switch
I’m moderating a tech policy webinar for the SF Bay Area Internet Society chapter on 5 April 2021 with leading Internet governance academic Dr. Laura DeNardis. Details below – all are welcome to attend and the webinar will be viewable on our chapter’s YouTube channel. On Monday, April 5, 2021…
2nd Circuit Rules CDA Section 230 Protects Vimeo Over Deleted User Account
Online Platforms Provided Significant Discretion Over What They Choose to Delete on Their Systems On 11 March 2021, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit unanimously upheld a ruling issued from the Southern District in New York that dismissed a lawsuit brought by James Domen…
The 26 Words that Built the Internet: Section 230
The Future of Section 230 and its Impact on Innovation, Free Speech, and Democracy Please join the SF Bay Area Chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC) on Monday 8 March 2021 for a tech policy webinar on the topic of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), the 26…
Audible Agrees to Delay Rollout of Audiobooks Caption Feature Pending Court Ruling After Big Publishers Sue for Copyright Infringement
Seven of the US’ largest book publishing companies sued Audible, Inc. for copyright infringement in anticipation of Audible’s rollout of a new captions feature to their audiobooks. The complaint, filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York on 23 August 2019 alleges that Audible’s planned inclusion of…
3rd Circuit to Review Decision That Could Shutter Online Marketplaces
CDA 230 Does Not Protect Online Businesses From Product Liability Claims Related to 3rd-Party Vendors The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has decided to review en banc a controversial panel decision issued last month over the liability of online marketplaces for the goods they sell. The 3rd Circuit panel’s order…
Don’t Kill the Golden Goose: Communications Decency Act (CDA) Section 230 Fosters Internet Innovation
Politicians on both sides of the aisle in the US face mounting pressure to curtail the limitations on liability for online activity provided by Section 230 of the 1997 Communications Decency Act (DCA). 47 US Code Section 230 is the primary law that allows online companies like Facebook, Twitter, Amazon,…
Trent Reznor Puts Fans in Charge with Successful Experimental Business Model
Trent Reznor has rocked the music world once again. The long-time front man for Nine-Inch-Nails is convinced the current music business infrastructure is broken since it requires artists to rely on labels. Reznor is looking for a new model. Last year NIN broke free from its major label and decided…
The Contract Behind the Curtain: A Glimpse into the San Francisco Ballet Dancer’s Contract
If you are also a ballet geek, you may find the Basic Agreement between the San Francisco Ballet and the American Guild of Musical Artists fascinating. I wrote an article highlighting some of the more interesting terms in this collective bargaining agreement that is signed by every ballet dancer (and…
Monterey Jazz Festival’s Innovative Digital Music Education Project
Jazz Music Education for the Masses My client, the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival (MJF) has launched an exciting new project, the Digital Music Education Project (DMEP) that uses the power of the Internet to bring jazz music education to the masses. Besides hosting the hottest jazz concert each year, the…