What's at issue is control, obviously, and the great lengths to which some will go to maintain, it even as they benefit from the wide-open, free-flowing viral information torrent of the Internet. These copyright acquisitions are not primarily motivated by the desire to exploit the works and make money, but rather by the desire to stop the public circulation of texts and images the new owners do not like.
The use of new technology makes peoples' efforts to keep Internet behavior private more difficult, has given rise to renewed claims from consumers of unlawful intrusiveness by Internet data-collectors, and has revived the argument that such behavior unlawfully violates privacy expectations.
When the White House's intellectual-property enforcement coordinator, Victoria Espinel, submitted a wish list to Congress in March recommending 20 changes to federal intellectual property law largely aimed at ramping up criminal punishment for IP infringement, IP lawyers said the white paper recommendations would likely have only a tenuous effect, if any, on civil IP litigation or patent prosecution.
This edition of the Quarterly State Compliance Review looks at some enacted and pending legislation of interest to corporate lawyers. It also discusses some recent cases of interest, including decisions from Delaware and New York concerning the awarding of attorneys' fees.
The federal government roared into March like a lion on online advertising, privacy and data'security practices, but hardly left like a lamb.
During the past two years, the collection of personal information through a consumer's online activities has expanded to unprecedented levels. This is due, in part, to a proliferation of new devices through which consumers disclose personal information, and also to increasingly sophisticated behavioral analytics. In response, regulators and legislators are beginning to consider more closely whether comprehensive federal data-privacy legislation is appropriate. This article explores these unfolding developments and the challenges they present to regulators, consumers and the online business community.
Recently, a number of small entities and e-mail service providers have sought to use the CAN-SPAM Act to profit from the receipt of spam, but have faced increased scrutiny from federal courts. This article discusses the CAN-SPAM Act generally, some notable spam judgments, and recent decisions interpreting the standing requirements under the federal statute.
In his "Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason (Vol. 1)", George Santayana wrote: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." We all can benefit from reviewing the lessons learned from past mistakes, whether committed by ourselves or others. The medical device industry would be well-served in heeding Santayana's warning; review of the Food and Drug Administration's enforcement in the pharmaceutical promotion area could offer insight into how it might minimize…
It remains to be seen how the Supreme Court will rule on its first USERRA case this spring, but a review of compliance with USERRA should be every employer's priority.
On Oct. 14, 2010, the Department of Labor (DOL) finalized its regulations concerning the fee and investment-related disclosures that must be provided to participants in 401(k) plans and other defined contribution plans with participant-directed investments.
