Computer Law Commons^™

To Mine Or Not To Mine: Recent Developments In The Legal Ethics Debate Regarding Metadata, Boris Reznikov

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

The American Bar Association recently decided that attorneys are not violating the Model Rules of Professional Conduct by reviewing opposing parties’ electronic documents for metadata. The stance taken by the American Bar Association contradicts views from ethics committees in other jurisdictions that have determined that lawyers who examine metadata are acting unethically. This Article summarizes the American Bar Association’s decision, as well as the other opinions on metadata, to help practicing attorneys understand the proper ethical considerations they must make when determining whether to look into an electronic document’s metadata.

The Dangers Of The Digital Millennium Copyright Act: Much Ado About Nothing?, Steve P. Calandrillo, Ewa A. Davison

Articles

In 1998, Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at protecting copyright holders from those who might manufacture or traffic technology capable of allowing users to evade piracy protections on the underlying work. At its core, the DMCA flatly prohibits the circumvention of “technological protection measures” in order to gain access to copyrighted works, but provides no safety valve for any traditionally protected uses.

While hailed as a victory by the software and entertainment industries, the academic and scientific communities ties have been far less enthusiastic. The DMCA’s goal of combating piracy is …