Law Commons^™

Are They Worth Reading? An In-Depth Analysis Of Online Trackers’ Privacy Policies, Candice Hoke, Lorrie Faith Cranor, Pedro Giovanni Leon, Alyssa Au

Lorrie F Cranor

We analyzed the privacy policies of 75 online tracking companies with the goal of assessing whether they contain information relevant for users to make privacy decisions. We compared privacy policies from large companies, companies that are members of self-regulatory organizations, and nonmember companies and found that many of them are silent with regard to important consumer-relevant practices including the collection and use of sensitive information and linkage of tracking data with personally-identifiable information. We evaluated these policies against self-regulatory guidelines and found that many policies are not fully compliant. Furthermore, the overly general requirements established in those guidelines allow companies …

One Centimeter Over My Back Yard: Where Does Federal Preemption Of State Drone Regulation Start? (With Albert J. Plawinski", Henry H. Perritt Jr.

Henry H. Perritt, Jr.

Sharing Stupid $H*T With Friends And Followers: The First Amendment Rights Of College Athletes To Use Social Media, Meg Penrose

Meg Penrose

This paper takes a closer look at the First Amendment rights of college athletes to access social media while simultaneously participating in intercollegiate athletics. The question posed is quite simple: can a coach or athletic department at a public university legally restrict a student-athlete's use of social media? If so, does the First Amendment provide any restraints on the type or length of restrictions that can be imposed? Thus far, neither question has been presented to a court for resolution. However, the answers are vital, as college coaches and athletic directors seek to regulate their athletes in a constitutional manner.

Tinkering With Success: College Athletes, Social Media And The First Amendment, Meg Penrose

Meg Penrose

Good law does not always make good policy. This article seeks to provide a legal assessment, not a policy directive. The policy choices made by individual institutions and athletic departments should be guided by law, but absolutely left to institutional discretion. Many articles written on college student-athletes' social media usage attempt to urge policy directives clothed in constitutional analysis. In this author's opinion, these articles have lost perspective-constitutional perspective. This article seeks primarily to provide a legal and constitutional assessment so that schools and their athletic departments will have ample information to then make their own policy choices.

Regulating Interconnection (Lightly!), Daniel A. Lyons

Daniel Lyons

No abstract provided.

Session Ii: Historical Perspectives On Privacy In American Law, 29 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 319 (2012), Steven D. Schwinn, Alberto Bernabe, Kathryn Kolbert, Adam D. Moore, Marc Rotenberg

Alberto Bernabe

No abstract provided.

Broadband Institute Of California Amicus Brief.Pdf, Jodi Benassi

Jodi Benassi

"Globalization And Legal Culture. The Influence Of Law & Economics’ Blogs In Developing Countries,", Críspulo Marmolejo

Críspulo Marmolejo

This paper considers the relationship between blogs and Law and Economics from two perspectives: some aspects of the law and economics approach to blogging, and the influence of blogs in the diffusion of Law and Economics. The article explores how blogs are a modern way of low cost domestic journalism, in a context in which the increasingsize of the blogosphere is a current challenge in terms of free speech and quality of the information. At the same time, blogs such as “The Volokh Conspiracy” are playing an interesting role in the American legal academia as areal instrument to analyze the …

A Conceptual Framework For The Regulation Of Cryptocurrencies, Omri Y. Marian

Omri Y Marian

This Essay proposes a conceptual framework for the regulation of transactions involving cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies offer tremendous opportunities for innovation and development but are also uniquely suited to facilitate illicit behavior. The regulatory framework suggested herein is intended to support (or at least not impair) cryptocurrencies’ innovative potential. At the same time, it aims to disrupt cryptocurrencies’ criminal utility. To achieve these purposes, this Essay proposes a regulatory framework that imposes costs on the characteristics of cryptocurrencies that make them especially useful for criminal behavior (in particular, anonymity) but does not impose costs on characteristics that are at the core of …

On The Centrality Of Information Law: A Rational Choice Discussion Of Information Law And Transparency, 17 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 1069 (1999), William B.T. Mock

William B.T. Mock

The purpose of this Article is to establish the importance of information law and to encourage its further study. By applying information technology theory, economic theory and, and political theory insights, the Article examines the centrality of information law in open societies. Information law rests upon two premises. The first of which is that information is a legally cognizable concept- that it can be framed in legal terms and has legal significance. The second premise is that there exists a rationale for government regulation and provision of information, either explicitly or implicitly. Transparency is a flexible concept used in a …

1997 John Marshall National Moot Court Competition In Information Technology And Privacy Law: Bench Memorandum, 16 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 685 (1998), David E. Sorkin, Steven A. Mcauley, David B. Nash Iii

David E. Sorkin

Many public libraries provide patrons with free public-access Internet terminals, largely for accessing information available on the World Wide Web. However, public concern exists over the ability of children who browse the Web without adult supervision to view sexually explicit materials and other inappropriate items. This concern has led to the development of various Internet filtering software programs. Some filtering programs operate by blocking access to documents containing certain words or phrases or combinations thereof. However, more common programs permit access only to documents or sites that appear in a pre-selected, "safe" database or that block access to documents that …

The Twenty-Fifth Annual John Marshall International Moot Court Competition In Information Technology And Privacy Law: Bench Memorandum, 24 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 673 (2006), David E. Sorkin, Larisa V. Benitez-Morgan, J. Preston Carter, William P. Greubel Iii, Matthew Hector, Kellen Keaty, Lisa Rodriguez

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

Session Iv: Technology And The Future Of Privacy, 29 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 379 (2012), David E. Sorkin, Ann Bartow, Robert S. Gurwin, Doris E. Long

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

Spam Legislation In The United States, 22 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 3 (2003), David E. Sorkin

David E. Sorkin

This article examines the effect of spam legislation in the United States. It discusses state legislation and the common provisions of state spam legislation, such as disclosure and labeling requirements and opt-out provisions. It also analyzes the consequences of state anti-spam legislation. Federal legislation is analyzed, with a brief look at the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. The article concludes that legislation has not had a big impact on spam, and the CAN-SPAM Act is not likely to change or curb spam.

1996 John Marshall National Moot Court Competition In Information And Privacy Law: Bench Memorandum, 15 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 587 (1997), David E. Sorkin

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

Payment Methods For Consumer-To-Consumer Online Transactions, 35 Akron L. Rev. 1 (2001), David E. Sorkin

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

Judicial Review Of Icann Domain Name Dispute Decisions, 18 Santa Clara Computer & High Tech. L.J. 35 (2001), David E. Sorkin

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

Technical And Legal Approaches To Unsolicited Electronic Mail, 35 U.S.F. L. Rev. 325 (2001), David E. Sorkin

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail And The Telephone Consumer Protection Act Of 1991, 45 Buff. L. Rev. 1001 (1997), David E. Sorkin

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

The 20th Belle R. And Joseph H. Braun Memorial Symposium: The Development Of Privacy Law From Brandeis To Today: Opening Remarks, 29 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 279 (2012), Ralph Ruebner, Leslie Ann Reis, David E. Sorkin

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

The Twenty-Sixth Annual John Marshall International Moot Court Competition In Information Technology And Privacy Law: Bench Memorandum, 25 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 305 (2008), Leslie Ann Reis, David E. Sorkin, Panagiota Kelali, Jessica Diehl, Carlos A. Encinas, Matthew Hector, Gina Spada, Steven Tseng, Priya Krishnamoorthy Venkat

David E. Sorkin

No abstract provided.

Gender Biases In Cyberspace: A Two-Stage Model For A Feminist Way Forward, Shlomit Yanisky-Ravid, Amy Mittelman

Shlomit Yanisky-Ravid Professor of Law

Increasingly, there has been a focus on creating democratic standards and procedures in order to best facilitate open exchange of information and communication online—a goal that fits neatly within the feminist aim to democratize content creation and community. Collaborative websites, such as blogs, social networks, and, as focused on in this Article, Wikipedia, represent both a Cyberspace community entirely outside the strictures of the traditional (intellectual) proprietary paradigm and one that professes to truly embody the philosophy of a completely open, free, and democratic resource for all. In theory, collaborative websites are the solution that social activists, Intellectual Property opponents …

Using Occam’S Razor To Solve International Attorney-Client Privilege Choice Of Law Issues: An Old Solution To A New Problem, Nathan M. Crystal, Francesca Giannoni-Crystal

Nathan M. Crystal

The practice of law is increasingly becoming “delocalized.” Globalization and the use of technology are two important factors in this fundamental change in practice. Delocalization is affecting almost all areas of practice, including issues involving attorney-client privilege (ACP). To some extent the choice-of-law rules governing ACP are also – like other fields of the law - being “delocalized,” but in our view only partially. This paper discusses six approaches to choice of law issues governing ACP that are being used by the courts. Aside from the traditional lex loci approach (which simply applies the law of the forum to the …

The Law And Science Of Video Game Violence: What Was Lost In Translation?, 31 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 297 (2013), William K. Ford

William K. Ford

"[A]s a general rule," writes Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edward Humes, "courts don't do science very well."' Susan Haack, a professor of law and philosophy, elaborates on why this may be true, offering several reasons for "deep tensions" between science and law. The reasons offered by Haack may be less of a concern where the dispute involves litigation against the government on significant questions of public policy. Recent decisions assessing the constitutionality of laws restricting minors' access to violent video games therefore offer an opportunity to examine how well the courts handled scientific evidence in a situation lacking some of the …

Copy Game For High Score: The First Video Game Lawsuit, 20 J. Intell. Prop. L. 1 (2012), William K. Ford

William K. Ford

Commentators and industry historians generally agree that the multi-billion dollar video game industry began forty years ago in November 1972 with Atari's release of Pong. Pong is among the simplest of video games: a version of ping pong or tennis requiring little more to play than a ball, two paddles, a scoring indicator, and a couple of memorable sounds. While it was not the first video game, Pong was the first video game hit. With unauthorized copying of a successful product occurring, it is not surprising that a lawsuit resulted in the fall of 1973, one that predates the more …

Games Are Not Coffee Mugs: Games And The Right Of Publicity, 29 Santa Clara Computer & High Tech. L.J. 1 (2012), William K. Ford, Raizel Liebler

William K. Ford

Are games more like coffee mugs, posters, and T-shirts, or are they more like books, magazines, and films? For purposes of the right of publicity, the answer matters. The critical question is whether games should be treated as merchandise or as expression. Three classic judicial decisions, decided in 1967, 1970, and 1973, held that the defendants needed permission to use the plaintiffs' names in their board games. These decisions judicially confirmed that games are merchandise, not something equivalent to more traditional media of expression. As merchandise, games are not like books; instead, they are akin to celebrity-embossed coffee mugs. To …

P2p And The Future Of Private Copying, Peter K. Yu

Peter K. Yu

Since the beginning of the P2P file-sharing controversy, commentators have discussed the radical expansion of copyright law, the industry's controversial enforcement tactics, the need for new legislative and business models, the changing social norms, and the evolving interplay of politics and market conditions. Although these discussions have delved into the many aspects of the controversy, none of them presents a big picture of the issues or explains how they fit within the larger file-sharing debate. Using a holistic approach, this Article brings together existing scholarship while offering some thoughts on the future of private copying. The Article does not seek …

The Origins Of Cctld Policymaking, Peter K. Yu

Peter K. Yu

Extract: A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, there was a decentralized global network of computers. These computers shared information with each other regardless of how far apart they were and whether there was any direct line of communication between them. In the very beginning, this network was used exclusively by government and military agencies, educational and research institutions, government contractors, scientists, and technology specialists. Instead of the domain names we use today, such as “www. amazon.com,” users typed in numeric addresses, such as “123.45.67.89,” and, later, host names to send information to other computers. This …

Anticircumvention And Anti-Anticircumvention, Peter K. Yu

Peter K. Yu

In today's debate on digital rights management systems, there is a considerable divide between the rights holders, their investors and representatives on the one hand and academics, consumer advocates, and civil libertarians on the other. These two groups often talk past each other, concocting their own doomsday scenarios while arguing for laws and policies that vindicate their positions. Unfortunately, neither side has sufficient empirical evidence to either support its position or disprove its rivals'. As the digital economy grows, the debate intensifies, and the divide between the two sides widens. Today, there has emerged an urgent need to find the …

Bridging The Digital Divide: Equality In The Information Age, Peter K. Yu

Peter K. Yu

The digital revolution has transformed the lives of many, but also has left untouched the lives of many others. As a result, a large segment of the world population misses out on the tremendous political, social, economic, educational, and career opportunities created by the digital revolution. This gap between the information haves and have-nots is commonly referred to as the digital divide.

Although evidence suggested that the digital divide in the United States is closing, the same is not true for the less developed countries. In light of the alarming disparities between the information haves and have-nots, the Howard M. …