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Full-Text Articles in Law
Travelers Beware: Tort Liability In The Sharing Economy, Talia G. Loucks
Travelers Beware: Tort Liability In The Sharing Economy, Talia G. Loucks
Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts
Participation in the sharing economy makes consumers’ lives easier. From the rental of a house or room via room share sites like Airbnb to getting a ride around the city using rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft, travelers have found less traditional and more affordable ways to explore. With these innovations, however, come risks for users. For example, Airbnb hosts do not owe guests the same duties as a hotel operator. Additionally, drivers’ insurance policies may not apply when operating for profit through a rideshare program. This Article examines the current liability issues that arise in the sharing economy. …
What Is The Media In The Age Of The Internet? Defamation Law And The Blogosphere, Lauren Guicheteau
What Is The Media In The Age Of The Internet? Defamation Law And The Blogosphere, Lauren Guicheteau
Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts
As more people turn to blogs as a source of news and information, the distinction between blogs and traditional media sources has become more complex for courts dealing with First Amendment issues. In the recent case, Obsidian Finance Group, LLC v. Cox, the United States District Court for the District of Oregon held that the defendant, a blogger, was not a member of the media for the purposes of a defamation claim. The court held that media defendants must be at least negligent to be liable for defamatory publications, but because the blogger was a non-media defendant, she was …
Employee Internet Misuse: How Failing To Investigate Pornography May Lead To Tort Liability, Jamila Johnson
Employee Internet Misuse: How Failing To Investigate Pornography May Lead To Tort Liability, Jamila Johnson
Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts
This Article addresses a New Jersey appellate court’s holding which suggests that employers have a common law duty to investigate online misconduct by their employees. In Doe v. XYC Corp., the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey held that an employer has a duty to act when (1) it knows that an employee’s use of the Internet would endanger a third person; and (2) it has reason to believe that it may discipline the employee for online activities in the workplace. The court stated that, under this duty to act, an employer must investigate, discipline, and …