Can you violate the First Amendment by blocking people from your Twitter account? According to the Knight First Amendment Institute, it’s possible if that account is @realDonaldTrump. As we have mentioned before, Donald Trump’s Twitter habit has been a large part of his public persona in recent years. Unsurprisingly, his…
Internet & Social Media Law Blog
I, TweetBot: Are Fake Users Social Media’s Dirty Little Secret?
President Donald Trump loves to tweet. Although he has been a prolific tweeter since his days as a reality TV star, during his presidential campaign and subsequent time in office, President Trump has taken the “Art of the Tweet” to new heights. The media, in return, has done its part…
“Tantrums” Aside, the Law Leans Toward the Employee in Issues of Social Media and Free Speech
Whether or not your friends and family get a kick out of your misery at work, that online post of yours might tick off your employer. But what rights do employers have to restrain their employees from complaining about them online? Can employers punish employees for posting their grievances online?…
Executive Order 13800 – Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure
President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 13800 titled “Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure” on May 11, 2017, his thirty-fifth executive order since taking office. Before evaluating President Trump’s cybersecurity executive order, it is worth taking a step back to look at what Candidate Trump said…
An 8-0 Decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in TC Heartland v. Kraft Foods Limits Venue Shopping in Patent Suits
Today, May 22, 2017, in the TC Heartland v. Kraft Foods opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the proper venue for a patent infringement lawsuit is (1) the state of incorporation for the defendant, or (2) a district where the defendant has committed acts…
Banging the Disclosure Drum: The Once Blurry Line between Advertiser and Influencer Continues to Come into Focus
As we have written about time and time again, and as celebrities and influencers gain more and more followers on social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, they must exercise care when endorsing the use of sponsored products and services. Under the current legal landscape, posting endorsements on…
News of Note for the Internet-Minded (4/12/17) – Inscrutable Algorithms, Adaptable Botnets and Weibo Backlash
It turns out protecting driverless cars from hacking is hard; a new technology brings emotions to virtual and augmented realities; botnets get attacked (and get a new job); and more … A new technology transports emotions to augmented and virtual realities via electrodes. (Rachel Metz, MIT Technology Review) Protecting driverless…
Internet Vino Veritas: Rules and Guidelines for Social Media Efforts Related to Alcohol Sales
Every day, businesses extend more of their services to the internet in an effort to cater to millennials and upcoming generations of consumers. Those in the wine industry are no exception. Though somewhat slow to adopt online and digital marketing in the beginning, businesses in the alcohol industry are catching…
Whack a Meme: Is It Possible to Contain (Let Alone Stop) the “Crying Jordan”?
Almost everyone (even my parents) has seen the Crying Michael Jordan meme popping up around the internet and social media. Crying Jordan has appeared in the standard meme form of photoshopped images and gifs but has also inspired Halloween masks and even customized Air Jordan sneakers. TMZ reports that Jordan…
Don’t Rock the Vote: Helping State and Local Governments Fend Off Cyber Attacks
Voting in local, state and national elections could be viewed as a rudimentary form of social media, by which voters share their views and preferences via selection of a candidate or party platform. The distance between this “old school” social media and its multi-headed modern form has shrunk thanks to…