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Social Media: The Legal Implications on Franchise Systems
Do you know what it means to get dooced? Is a social media troll ugly? What is crowdsourcing, the blogosphere, and UGC? It is clear by now that social media is not going to be a fad and that it will instead be a significant part of everyday life. (To end the suspense, to get “dooced” means to lose one's job because of statements made on a blog. A “troll” is a person who posts negative comments on a social media page to cause disruption and argument. “Crowdsourcing” means giving an assignment traditionally performed by employees or consultants to a large, generally unorganized group of people. “Blogosphere” is a reference to the collective blog community. “UGC” means user-generated content. See www.urbandictionary.com.)
Since most consumers today expect social media to be part of the online presence of the retailers and businesses that they frequent, franchisors have to figure out how it fits into their and their franchisees' businesses, and franchise lawyers have to figure out the legal implications of their clients' choices and actions. Social media usage can touch on many different legal issues affecting a franchise system. This article will not attempt to cover them all, but rather focus on general social media legal issues that may be new to franchisors, as well as critical franchise-specific legal issues.
New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment
On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.
Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office
A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.
Bit Parts
Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights
How AI Has Affected PR
When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.