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Articles 2701 - 2730 of 4057

Full-Text Articles in Communications Law

State Sales & Use Tax On Internet Transactions, Sandi Owen Dec 1998

State Sales & Use Tax On Internet Transactions, Sandi Owen

Federal Communications Law Journal

The explosive growth of electronic commerce raises serious questions about the viability of the current state sales and use tax system. Sales via the Internet and other electronic means are changing both the form and substance of consumer transactions, and such sales often do not satisfy the traditional nexus requirement for state taxation because on-line vendors frequently lack physical presence in the purchaser’s home state. The inability to collect taxes on this growing segment of the retail sales market will impair states’ efforts to raise revenues and cause economically similar transactions to be treated differently. Consequently, Congress must act pursuant …

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The Threat Of Long-Arm Jurisdiction To Electronic Commerce, Robert J. Aalberts, Anthony M. Townsend, Michael E. Whitman Dec 1998

The Threat Of Long-Arm Jurisdiction To Electronic Commerce, Robert J. Aalberts, Anthony M. Townsend, Michael E. Whitman

Faculty Articles

Unfortunately for those whose businesses rely on the Internet, an increasing amount of legal conflict is also arising in reaction to this new business medium. As attorneys and the courts attempt to sort out the Internet’s legal status quo, both are considering such pressing substantive issues as electronic contracts, privacy, trademark, copyright, defamation, computer crimes, censorship, and taxation. It is imperative that information system professionals become aware of how evolving Internet law will affect the medium they are charged with administrating. An informed IS community is also much more capable of mounting legal and political challenges to law that might …

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Another Look At European Internet Law, Alain Gardrat Oct 1998

Another Look At European Internet Law, Alain Gardrat

Media Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

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Regulatory Treatment Of Network Convergence: Opportunities And Challenges In The Digital Era, Benjamin Lipschitz Oct 1998

Regulatory Treatment Of Network Convergence: Opportunities And Challenges In The Digital Era, Benjamin Lipschitz

Media Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

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Personal Jurisdiction In Cyberspace: Where Can You Be Sued, And Whose Laws Apply, George Perry Oct 1998

Personal Jurisdiction In Cyberspace: Where Can You Be Sued, And Whose Laws Apply, George Perry

Media Law and Policy

The development to date of the law of personal jurisdiction based on Internet and World Wide Web contacts is evolving in a way that could pose a legal threat to all Web site operators, and in particular the smaller independent site operators who can least afford it, by making them subject to being sued in virtually every state in the country. This article reviews the recent case law and concludes that, notwithstanding good policy reasons to do otherwise, some courts are finding personal jurisdiction to exist in circumstances that appear to go beyond the U.S. Supreme Court's admonition that the …

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Table Of Contents, Volume Vii Fall 1998 Number 1, New York Law School Oct 1998

Table Of Contents, Volume Vii Fall 1998 Number 1, New York Law School

Media Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

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Challenging Defamatory Opinions As An Alternative To Media Self-Regulation, James F. Ponsoldt Oct 1998

Challenging Defamatory Opinions As An Alternative To Media Self-Regulation, James F. Ponsoldt

Scholarly Works

This Essay analyzes defamation law as it applies to the media. Part I summarizes the state of defamation law prior to the 1990 Supreme Court decision in Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co., when opinion was presumed immune from liability. Part II examines the holding in Milkovich, which suggests the potential liability for recklessly defamatory statements couched as or in the context of opinion. Part III reviews post-Milkovich decisions during the 1990's. This Essay concludes that the predictions of Milkovich were accurate in many jurisdictions and could apply to televised allegations during the coverage of the Clinton affair. …

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New German Telecommunications Act, The, Axel Spies, Jan F. Wrede Jun 1998

New German Telecommunications Act, The, Axel Spies, Jan F. Wrede

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

In the wake of the debate in Germany on how to weather the storms against the "marketplace Germany" (Unternehmensstandort Deutschland) the new German Telecommunications Act ("TA") has been earmarked as a milestone. Its supporters hail the TA to spur competition in Germany's telecommunications market, which they expect to have a turnover of over DM 100 billion (app. US $66 billion) by the year 2000.... This article seeks to summarize the salient features of the TA and to outline the perspectives for potential foreign investors in the German telecommunications market as to the regulatory environment such investor will face. For this …

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"Chilling" The Internet? Lessons From Fcc Regulation Of Radio Broadcasting , Thomas W. Hazlett, David W. Sosa Jun 1998

"Chilling" The Internet? Lessons From Fcc Regulation Of Radio Broadcasting , Thomas W. Hazlett, David W. Sosa

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

Congress included the Communications Decency Act (CDA) in the Telecommunications Act signed into law on February 8, 1996. The bill seeks to outlaw the use of computers and phone lines to transmit "indecent" material with provisions of jail terms and heavy fines for violators. Proponents of the bill argue it is necessary to protect minors from undesirable speech on the Internet. The CDA was immediately challenged in court by the American Civil Liberties Union, and the special 3-judge federal panel established to hear the case recently declared the Act unconstitutional. Yet, its ultimate adjudication remains in doubt. Ominously, the federal …

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Communications Policy Leadership For The Next Century, Michael K. Powell May 1998

Communications Policy Leadership For The Next Century, Michael K. Powell

Federal Communications Law Journal

Those of us involved in the communications field realize the dramatic changes and challenges posed by the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In particular, those in charge of implementing the Act's provisions face serious challenges. There are three ways that those in leadership positions may prevail in this "communications revolution" so as to facilitate development. First, it is essential to be familiar with the fields of economics and competitive analysis, and to understand that competition and markets will prove superior devices for managing change. Second, the importance of technology must be emphasized. Finally, emotion or special interest politics …

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The "Public Interest" Standard: The Search For The Holy Grail, Erwin G. Krasnow, Jack N. Goodman May 1998

The "Public Interest" Standard: The Search For The Holy Grail, Erwin G. Krasnow, Jack N. Goodman

Federal Communications Law Journal

During the last eighty years, there is likely no single area of communications policy that has generated as much scholarly discourse, judicial analysis, and political debate as has the simple directive to regulate in the "public interest." While remaining at the heart of current communications regulatory policy debate, the public interest standard has been subject to evolving, and often elusive definitions that reflect the change in American culture from generation to generation. As broadcasters begin the transition to a more flexible digital technology, there have been calls for a reexamination of the public interest standard. But the genius of the …

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A Modest Proposal For Restructuring The Federal Communications Commission, Harry M. Shooshan Iii May 1998

A Modest Proposal For Restructuring The Federal Communications Commission, Harry M. Shooshan Iii

Federal Communications Law Journal

At a time when the FCC is in the process of implementing the massive 1996 Telecommunications Act, a number of commentators have been calling for drastic change in the agency's structure. There most certainly are legitimate questions about how the modern FCC should be organized. A single-administrator model, which has been successful in the United Kingdom, could provide a more stable and predictable regulatory environment than currently exists. The advantages of a single administrator over a multimember commission are substantial and provide a conservative alternative to calls for the elimination of the agency. Such change would enable the FCC to …

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Electronic Communications And The Law: Help Or Hindrance To Telecommuting?, Jennifer C. Dombrow May 1998

Electronic Communications And The Law: Help Or Hindrance To Telecommuting?, Jennifer C. Dombrow

Federal Communications Law Journal

During 1997, an estimated 11.1 million workers preformed some portion of their work by telecommuting. This number is expected to grow as employers continue to discover the benefits that can result from instituting a telecommuting policy. This growth may be hindered, however, by controversy concerning employee privacy rights. Although the use of electronic communications in the workplace is common, the laws addressing employee privacy rights and employer monitoring rights concerning these communications are ambiguous. New legislation is necessary to specifically define the respective rights of employers and employees. Without this new legislation, the benefits of electronic communications in the workplace, …

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Allowing Fda Regulation Of Communications Software Used In Telemedicine: A Potentially Fatal Misdiagnosis?, Ann K. Schooley May 1998

Allowing Fda Regulation Of Communications Software Used In Telemedicine: A Potentially Fatal Misdiagnosis?, Ann K. Schooley

Federal Communications Law Journal

Communications technology is changing and improving the way that health care services are delivered to patients. Telemedicine, or the use of communications technology to provide medical care, allows doctors to treat patients in rural areas who otherwise would not have access to medical services. With the development and use of telemedicine, however, comes the burden of government regulation. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is just beginning to assert its jurisdiction over telemedicine, seeking to regulate telemedicine systems as medical devices under 21 U.S.C. § 321(h). Should the FDA strongly assert its jurisdiction, it has the ability to regulate entire …

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Editor's Note, Michael M. Pratt May 1998

Editor's Note, Michael M. Pratt

Federal Communications Law Journal

No abstract provided.

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The Federal Communications Law Journal At Sixty, Adrian Cronauer May 1998

The Federal Communications Law Journal At Sixty, Adrian Cronauer

Federal Communications Law Journal

No abstract provided.

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Section 332 Of The Communications Act Of 1934: A Federal Regulatory Framework That Is "Hog Tight, Horse High, And Bull Strong", Leonard J. Kennedy, Heather A. Purcell May 1998

Section 332 Of The Communications Act Of 1934: A Federal Regulatory Framework That Is "Hog Tight, Horse High, And Bull Strong", Leonard J. Kennedy, Heather A. Purcell

Federal Communications Law Journal

In 1993, recognizing that state and local regulatory practices were harmful to the development of widespread low-cost commercial and personal mobile radio services, the U.S. Congress passed, and President Clinton signed, legislation that freed wireless carriers from a dual federal-state regulatory structure. As a result, sections 332 and 2(b) of the Communications Act were revised to endow the FCC with exclusive jurisdiction over wireless regulation. Unfortunately, some courts and regulators have concluded that Congress did not intend to grant the FCC exclusive authority over wireless communications. Such rulings could be attributed to a misguided focus on traditional preemption analysis rather …

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The Fcc And Aids Education: Helping Broadcasters Serve The Public Interest, Jason B. Acton May 1998

The Fcc And Aids Education: Helping Broadcasters Serve The Public Interest, Jason B. Acton

Federal Communications Law Journal

Despite recent advances in medical technology, AIDS remains a very serious international health threat. Even with the presence of new drug therapies that have helped to prolong the lives of those who suffer from the disease, scientists have been unable to develop a cure. Consequently education remains the primary weapon available in the war against AIDS. Unfortunately, AIDS education initiatives have found little support in the broadcast community. To renew their licenses, broadcasters are required to act in the public interest— requirement that has traditionally required very little. However, given the threat AIDS presents to society, the FCC should require …

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Dogma In Cyberspace, Phillip V. Permut May 1998

Dogma In Cyberspace, Phillip V. Permut

Federal Communications Law Journal

Book Review: Law and Disorder in Cyberspace: Abolish the FCC and Let Common Law Rule the Telecosm, by Peter Huber, Oxford University Press, 1997, 265 pages.

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Moving Toward Neutrality: The National Telecommunications And Information Administration's New Stance On Sectarian Programming, Nancy L. Reynolds May 1998

Moving Toward Neutrality: The National Telecommunications And Information Administration's New Stance On Sectarian Programming, Nancy L. Reynolds

Federal Communications Law Journal

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has recently reinterpreted its funding policy regarding religious programming to create a policy more consistent with the religion clauses of the First Amendment and more responsive to the goal of government neutrality toward religion. Until 1996, the NTIA categorically denied all funding to government programming that provided any incidental or attenuated benefit to religion. However, in light of recent Establishment Clause cases, the NTIA modified its interpretation of sectarian programming, allowing a radio station to receive government funding even if its programming provides an attenuated or incidental benefit to religion. The NTIA's new …

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Sobriety Test: The Court Walks The Central Hudson Line Once Again In 44 Liquormart, But Passes On A New First Amendment Review, Aaron A. Schmoll May 1998

Sobriety Test: The Court Walks The Central Hudson Line Once Again In 44 Liquormart, But Passes On A New First Amendment Review, Aaron A. Schmoll

Federal Communications Law Journal

In 1980 the Supreme Court decided Central Hudson and, in so doing, articulated the parameters of the modern commercial speech doctrine. In providing a four-part test to determine the validity of government efforts to restrict commercial speech, the Court engaged in "intermediate scrutiny" and created the expectation among free speech advocates that the Court was finally ready to provide higher measure of constitutional protection to commercial speech. In the nearly fifteen years after Central Hudson, these advocates have been disappointed as the Court has inconsistently weighed the factors that comprise the test. The opportunity to adopt a less- manipulative …

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Masthead Vol.50 No.3 (1998) May 1998

Masthead Vol.50 No.3 (1998)

Federal Communications Law Journal

No abstract provided.

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Editor's Note, Michael M. Pratt Mar 1998

Editor's Note, Michael M. Pratt

Federal Communications Law Journal

No abstract provided.

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First Amendment Trump?: The Uncertain Constitutionalization Of Structural Regulation Separating Telephone And Video, Susan Dente Ross Mar 1998

First Amendment Trump?: The Uncertain Constitutionalization Of Structural Regulation Separating Telephone And Video, Susan Dente Ross

Federal Communications Law Journal

The Cable Act of 1984 contained a "cross-ownership" ban, which prohibited telephone companies from entering the local cable video market. Although the ban was challenged by telephone carriers on numerous grounds, the First Amendment was not the basis of any challenge until the mid-1990s when telephone companies sought to characterize themselves not just as carriers but as content suppliers, or "speakers," who were deprived of their right to speak as a result of common carrier regulations that were intended merely to control the economic structure of the communications industry. Using the First Amendment as a new-found constitutional weapon to challenge …

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In Search Of A Smoking Gun: Tortious Interference With Nondisclosure Agreements As An Obstacle To Newsgathering, Mark J. Chasteen Mar 1998

In Search Of A Smoking Gun: Tortious Interference With Nondisclosure Agreements As An Obstacle To Newsgathering, Mark J. Chasteen

Federal Communications Law Journal

In November 1995, the prominent CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes refrained from broadcasting an important interview with a former vice president of Brown & Williamson for fear of being liable for tortiously interfering with a confidentiality agreement between the employee and the tobacco company. This event illustrates a new concern facing media: specifically whether liability arises from broadcasting information that would be considered protected speech had the source not been a party to a nondisclosure agreement. It also illustrates an area of First Amendment jurisprudence that is as yet uncharted and for which there is no established standard that is easily …

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Creating Better Incentives Through Regulation: Section 271 Of The Communications Act Of 1934 And The Promotion Of Local Exchange Competition, Tim Sloan Mar 1998

Creating Better Incentives Through Regulation: Section 271 Of The Communications Act Of 1934 And The Promotion Of Local Exchange Competition, Tim Sloan

Federal Communications Law Journal

The overriding goal of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is to promote competition in all telecommunications markets. Section 271 of the Act addresses competition in the local telecommunications market. This section provides that, with appropriate competition in the local exchange market, Bell Operating Companies shall be allowed to offer in-region, interLATA services. Although Bell Operating Companies have applied to offer such services, the FCC has yet to grant a section 271 application. Through these denials, the Commission has begun to construe the frequently ambiguous text included in Track A and Track B of section 271. A further understanding of the …

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Balancing The Scales: The 1996 Telecommunications Act And Eleventh Amendment Immunity, Cynthia L. Bauerly Mar 1998

Balancing The Scales: The 1996 Telecommunications Act And Eleventh Amendment Immunity, Cynthia L. Bauerly

Federal Communications Law Journal

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 explicitly created a role for federal courts in the interconnection process. However, parties' ability to seek federal review of interconnection agreements is no longer as straightforward as the language of the Act implies. The Supreme Court's unnecessarily novel and narrow reading of Eleventh Amendment immunity in Seminole Tribe v. Florida renders unenforceable the federal review provisions of the Act against state regulatory commissions. While some interconnection agreements may find their way into federal court, for example, where a party seeking to interconnect sues an incumbent provider instead of the state commission, enforcement of a federal …

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Digital Television History: "Take One", Herbert A. Terry Mar 1998

Digital Television History: "Take One", Herbert A. Terry

Federal Communications Law Journal

Book Review: Defining Vision: The Battle for the Future of Television, By Joel Brinkley.

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Masthead Vol.50 No.2 (1998) Mar 1998

Masthead Vol.50 No.2 (1998)

Federal Communications Law Journal

No abstract provided.

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Networked Health Information: Assuring Quality Control On The Internet, Kristin B. Keltner Mar 1998

Networked Health Information: Assuring Quality Control On The Internet, Kristin B. Keltner

Federal Communications Law Journal

The Clinton Administration's Health Information and Applications Working Group promotes networked health information provided to all citizens through the Internet as one way to lower health care costs while improving the health of Americans. Managed care organizations and private health information providers already use the World Wide Web to disseminate consumer health information to broad segments of society. No standards exist to ensure that the information these Web sites carry is accurate and otherwise free from corruption. Disclaimers as to the reliability of the information as well as to the responsibility of the information provider for any harm caused by …

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