Computer Law Commons^™

Unveiling The Dark Side Of Innovation: Sustainability, Cobalt Mining, And Modern-Day Slavery, Kaitlin Schleich

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

As the need and demand for sustainability come to the forefront of innovative efforts by technology companies, the use of rechargeable batteries has only become more prominent. A critical mineral in the manufacture of such batteries is cobalt. Looking deeper into how manufacturers get their hands on cobalt exposes the troubling cobalt-mining practices largely taking place within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This article dives into the underbelly of the cobalt-mining industry, revealing the egregious human-rights abuses occurring in the DRC and examining the current legal and ethical landscape surrounding cobalt mining around the world. In both small-scale artisanal …

A Hard Pill To Swallow: Privacy Implications Of Direct-To-Consumer Prescription Drug Services, Varsha Challapally

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

This case note discusses the emergence and popularity of direct-to-consumer prescription drug services and evaluates their privacy implications on consumers. Minimal regulation exists regarding direct-to-consumer prescription drug services, and patient privacy and data protection laws are also limited. Proponents of these services claim that they allow certain prescription drugs to be available to consumers without the hassle and logistics of health insurance and making and attending medical appointments, effectively empowering individuals to take control of their own health. Alternatively, critics claim that direct-to-consumer prescription drug services are operated by private companies that are not always required to be compliant with …

A Tale Of Two Sams: Effective Altruism’S Threat To The Security Of Emerging Technology, Mackenzie Young

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Since the onset of scientific innovation, the character and charisma of the inventors and scientists behind emerging technologies have been a centerpiece of focus. However, in light of the driving forces behind innovation—especially the global need to “get ahead” of competitors—few are willing to inquire into the sincerity of held belief. From the ouster of Sam Altman as CEO of OpenAI to the criminal conviction of cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried, the philosophy of “effective altruism” has taken over the minds, hearts, and pocketbooks of Silicon Valley.

This Comment evaluates the origins of the Effective Altruism movement and argues that its …

Tailoring Biometric Innovation To Privacy Law In The Retail Industry, Bailey White

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Biometric data technology is trending in retail. Retailers utilize biometric data to improve their bottom line through virtual try-on technology (VTOT), contactless payment methods, fingerprint scanners, and more—albeit at potentially steep prices. Many types of biometric technology used in retail fall under strict U.S. state privacy laws, exposing businesses to serious legal and financial consequences. This Comment provides an analysis of the current state of biometric data privacy law in the U.S., focusing on Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), and more. This Comment also identifies proposed legislation, relevant case law, …

If Held Holds: Held V. Montana And The Future Of Constitutional Environmental Litigation, Leonora Owsley

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

The State of Montana is one of three states whose constitutions presently contain a “green amendment[.]” These amendments, enshrined in their respective Bills of Rights, protect a citizen’s fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, ideally ensuring that the state’s government cannot infringe upon that right. However, following the green amendment’s adoption in 1972, Montana’s law still prioritized its extractive energy and hard rock mining industries over its citizens’ environmental rights. Now, that landscape is beginning to change. In 2011, Montana adopted an amended State Energy Policy Act, which expressly forbade its agencies from considering the effects of climate …

Trademark Infringement: The Likelihood Of Confusion Of Nfts In The Us And Eu, Sara Sachs

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

The immutability of non-fungible tokens has made it an invaluable tool for asset ownership and authentication across a variety of industries. With the proliferation of NFTs comes the need to protect trademarks and prevent consumer confusion in the digital age. This Note explores the existing legal framework for trademark law in the United States and European Union. This Note argues for a new trademark standard that reflects the interconnected nature of a global digital society.

Byte A Carrot For Change: Uprooting Problems In Data Privacy Regulations, Sarah Terry

BYU Law Review

There is a growing gap between technology advancement and a lagging regulatory system. This is particularly problematic in consumer data privacy regulating. Companies hold collected consumer data and determine its use largely without accountability. As a result, ethical questions that carry society-shaping impact are answered in-house, under the influence of groupthink, and are withheld from anyone else weighing in.

This Note poses a solution that would address multiple data privacy regulation issues. Namely, an incentive approach would help even out the information-imbalanced system. Incentives are used as tools throughout intellectual property law to foster commercial progress, discourage trade secrets, and …

The Present And Future Of Ai Usage In The Banking And Financial Decision-Making Processes Within The Developing Indian Economy, Dr. Shouvik Kumar Guha, Bash Savage-Mansary, Dr. Navyajyoti Samanta

Indian Journal of Law and Technology

In course of this paper, the authors have soght to examine the extent to which technology based on artificial intelligence (AI) have made inroads into the banking and financial sectors of a developing economy like India. The paper begins with providing a contextual background to the adoption of such technology in the global financial arena. It then proceeds to identify and categorise the forms of AI currently being used in the Indian financial sector and also considers the different channels of operation where such technology is in vogue. The advantages of using such technology and the future goals for integrating …

A New Right Is The Wrong Tactic: Bring Legal Actions Against States For Internet Shutdowns Instead Of Working Towards A Human Right To The Internet (Part 2), Jay T. Conrad

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

This Article is the second of a two-part series about an increasingly prevalent threat to human rights: State-sanctioned Internet shutdowns. Part 1 detailed Internet shutdown tactics and potential human rights violations that could result from a shutdown. Now, Part 2 addresses the deficiencies of advocating for Internet access to be a recognized human right as a means of combatting shutdowns. Despite the popularity of this proposed solution, the harms of Internet shutdowns are better addressed through traditional legal avenues, such as bringing claims against the sanctioning state.

Part 1 can be found in The Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental & …

Assessing The Potential Involutionary Effects Of New Copyright Laws: A Techno-Legal Analysis Based On The Impact Of Web 3.0 On Copyright Protection, Alvin Hung

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

As Internet technology evolves, legal professionals and academics must stay current and adapt to these inevitable technological changes. This article investigates the extensive influence of the latest version of the World Wide Web (the Web)—Web 3.0—on copyright laws based on a techno-legal analysis that considers the opportunities and challenges of this new technology. The principal version of copyright laws, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), was enacted in 1998 during the Web 1.0 era, signifying an impending need for appropriate updates in the new Web 3.0 era. This article traces the historical development of U.S. copyright laws by positing it …

The Immutable Blockchain Confronts The Unstoppable Gdpr, Bisma Shoaib

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

The notion that privacy is dispensable and should be sacrificed in exchange for internet access is misguided. In fact, privacy laws are flourishing, highlighting the significance of safeguarding personal information in the digital age. It is crucial to recognize that privacy is not merely a luxury, but a fundamental right that should be upheld, even in the context of online activities. In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the collision between privacy and innovation becomes increasingly apparent. This paper delves into the intriguing convergence of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and blockchain technology, unraveling pivotal issues that arise from this …

Trademarks In An Algorithmic World, Christine Haight Farley

Washington Law Review

According to the sole normative foundation for trademark protection—“search costs” theory—trademarks transmit useful information to consumers, enabling an efficient marketplace. The marketplace, however, is in the midst of a fundamental change. Increasingly, retail is virtual, marketing is data-driven, and purchasing decisions are automated by AI. Predictive analytics are changing how consumers shop. Search costs theory no longer accurately describes the function of trademarks in this marketplace. Consumers now have numerous digital alternatives to trademarks that more efficiently provide them with increasingly accurate product information. Just as store shelves are disappearing from consumers’ retail experience, so are trademarks disappearing from their …

After Ftx: Can The Original Bitcoin Use Case Be Saved?, Mark Burge

Faculty Scholarship

Bitcoin and the other cryptocurrencies spawned by the innovation of blockchain programming have exploded in prominence, both in gains of massive market value and in dramatic market losses, the latter most notably seen in connection with the failure of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange in November 2022. After years of investment and speculation, however, something crucial has faded: the original use case for Bitcoin as a system of payment. Can cryptocurrency-as-a-payment-system be saved, or are day traders and speculators the actual cryptocurrency future? This article suggests that cryptocurrency has been hobbled by a lack of foundational commercial and consumer-protection law that …

Full Issue: Fall 2023

DePaul Magazine

In DePaul Magazine's fall 2023, President Robert L. Manuel unveils his Designing DePaul road map to position the university for monumental impact. We also highlight an innovative program that merges law and tech, an initiative centering humanities in collaborative, community-based interactions, and the ascendance of soprano Janai Brugger (SOM '05) on the international opera stage.

Integrating Nist And Iso Cybersecurity Audit And Risk Assessment Frameworks Into Cameroonian Law, Bernard Ngalim

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This paper reviews cybersecurity laws and regulations in Cameroon, focusing on cybersecurity and information security audits and risk assessments. The importance of cybersecurity risk assessment and the implementation of security controls to cure deficiencies noted during risk assessments or audits is a critical step in developing cybersecurity resilience. Cameroon's cybersecurity legal framework provides for audits but does not explicitly enumerate controls. Consequently, integrating relevant controls from the NIST frameworks and ISO Standards can improve the cybersecurity posture in Cameroon while waiting for a comprehensive revision of the legal framework. NIST and ISO are internationally recognized as best practices in information …

Table Of Contents, Seattle University Law Review

Seattle University Law Review

Table of Contents

Federal Data Privacy Regulation: Do Not Expect An American Gdpr, Matt Buckley

DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Legal Representation And The Metaverse: The Ethics Of Practicing In Multiple Realities, Madeline Brom

DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Badges Of Honor: Professional Conduct, Consumer Protection, And Accolades In Lawyer Advertising, Kiren Dosanjh Zucker, Bruce Zucker

DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Ethics At The Speed Of Business, James A. Doppke Jr.

DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal

This paper discusses several ways in which the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, and the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, construct barriers that prevent lawyers and businesses from accomplishing reasonable commercial goals. Often, those barriers arise from outdated concepts, or terminology that does not reflect current business realities. The paper argues for the amendment of specific Rules to enhance lawyers’ and businesses’ respective abilities to conduct their affairs more efficiently, without sacrificing public protection in the process.

Welcome Address, Lauren Mckenzie

DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Future Of Data Protection Enforcement In Canada: Lessons From The Gdpr, Guilda Rostama, Teresa Scassa

Canadian Journal of Law and Technology

Imagine a not-too-distant scenario in which a private sector organization in Canada is investigated by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada jointly with the Commissioners of Quebec, British Columbia (‘‘BC”), and Alberta in relation to complaints that it shared massive quantities of personal data with third parties contrary to its stated practices in its privacy policies. Imagine also that each of the commissioners is empowered under newly amended data protection legislation to issue substantial Administrative Monetary Penalties (‘‘AMPs”). If each of the commissioners finds that its respective laws were breached, should the organization be subject to four different AMPs, or just …

The Challenge Designing Intermediary Liability Laws, Emily Laidlaw

Canadian Journal of Law and Technology

The ideal framework for intermediary liability has vexed policymakers since the internet’s commercialization. The quest has taken on a frenzied pace in recent years with intense scrutiny of who they are, what they do and what they should be responsible for. Over the years a theme has emerged from my discussions about intermediaries, and its subset platforms, and it prompts me to explore it as the focus of this article. My question is simple: why is it so difficult for law and policymakers to agree on a regulatory framework?

This article tackles two parts of the regulatory challenge that are …

Confidentiality Clauses In Settlement Agreements After The Consumer Review Fairness Act, Wayne Barnes

Faculty Scholarship

Online commerce has skyrocketed in recent years, and shoppers are purchasing goods or services online in greater numbers every year. The COVID-19 pandemic has only hastened the trend. One significant aspect of online shopping is the presence of consumer reviews posted by prior purchasers of goods or services, describing their experience with the products, the services and/or the selling merchant. A vast majority of online shoppers say that they rely on these reviews to help inform their purchasing decisions. Positive reviews can be tremendously beneficial to a business’ profitability, whereas negative reviews can be equally detrimental. Users of the internet …

Slouching Toward Regulation: Assessing Bill 88 As A Solution For Workplace Surveillance Harms, Danielle E. Thompson, Adam Molnar

Canadian Journal of Law and Technology

Employee monitoring applications (‘‘EMAs”) are proliferating in Canada and provide employers with sophisticated surveillance tools for the monitoring of workers (e.g., on-device video surveillance, browser activity, and email monitoring). In response to concerns about these increasingly invasive surveillance practices, the Government of Ontario passed Bill 88, the Working for Workers Act, 2022, which requires all employers with 25 or more workers to have a written policy stating whether and how they electronically monitor their employees. Bill 88 marks a more explict attempt to regulate workplace surveillance in a modern digital context in Canada; however; however, an analysis of the Bill’s …

When Your Boss Is An Algorithm: Preserving Canadian Employment Standards In The Digital Economy, Fife Ogunde

Canadian Journal of Law and Technology

The platform or ‘‘gig” economy is a rapidly growing economy in Canada. Between 2005 and 2016, the share of gig workers among all workers in Canada rose from 5.5% to 8.2%. These include independent contractors, select freelancers and platform workers. In 2018, 28% of Canadians aged 18 and older reported making money through online platforms. Research by Payments Canada in 2021 showed gig workers as representing more than one in 10 Canadian adults with more than one in three Canadian businesses employing gig workers. As the share of platform workers in the economy has grown, so has the discussion regarding …

The Need For Cyber Resilience Of Space Assets: Law And Policy Considerations Of Ensuring Cybersecurity In Outer Space, Daniella Febbraro

Canadian Journal of Law and Technology

In 2018, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory was the subject of a data breach where over 500 megabytes of data from a major mission system was stolen by hackers. This attack affected NASA’s Deep Space Network, prompting the United States Johnson Space Center to disconnect the International Space Station from the affected gateway due to fears that mission systems could become compromised. NASA has acknowledged that its vast online presence, which includes thousands of publicly accessible datasets, offers a large potential target for cybercriminals. The 2018 incident was one of many, with NASA experiencing more than 6000 cyberattacks from 2017-2021 alone. …

“Tiktok Told Me I Have Adhd”: Regulatory Outlook For The Telehealth Revolution, Kaitlin Campanini

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

Telehealth’s expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the approach to healthcare in the United States. This is particularly true in the behavioral health sector where several behavioral telehealth companies have emerged to treat Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (“ADHD”). These companies utilize a direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) model with a virtual platform that connects subscribing patients to medical providers who can treat them for ADHD. Although this telemedicine model emphasizes convenience and efficiency, the reality is that those benefits come at the cost of patient care. The federal regulations promulgated in the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 to curtail …

Genetic Technologies: Patent Protections & The Case For Technology Transfer, Smitha Gundavajhala

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

Genetic technologies range in scope from agricultural to medical applications. Most recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies like Moderna developed and patented genetic technologies for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, like the mRNA vaccine. However, patent protection provides these companies with a monopoly that ultimately limits domestic production of generic versions, thus limiting access to life-saving diagnostics and therapeutics. When a company located in one country files a patent for recognition in another country, it effectively places a hold on production of any technologies covered by that patent’s reach, whether that patent is enforced or not. However, the TRIPS Agreement, the …