Communications Law Commons^™

Virtual Influencers, Real Liability: Strategies For Companies To Ensure Consumer Protection When Using Ai Influencers, Sherri Hufstedler

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

When You Wish Upon A Clause, Hannah Lee

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

Fair Use Or Foul Play? Copyright Law’S Battle Over Using Sound Recordings In Ai Training, Matthew Schurz

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

How Slow Legislative Reform Allows For Fake News, The Remedies And Solutions To Modernize The Law, Christopher Kidwell

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

Masthead

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

Did Anderson V. Tiktok Get It Right? Holding Social Media Providers Accountable For Harm To Adolescents, Allison Mitton

BYU Law Review

When dangerous social media challenges go viral and cause harm to adolescents and young children, should the platform be held liable for pushing that content? As it currently stands, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1934 prevents this from happening. However, Anderson v. TikTok—a recent suit brought on behalf of a ten-year-old girl who died after asphyxiating herself while participating in the viral “Blackout Challenge”—seeks to change that.

The Third Circuit court in Anderson held that social media algorithms should be considered first-party speech, or the platform’s own expressive activity, rather than third-party speech, displaying its users’ expressive …

Tracking In The Fast Lane: Are License Plate Readers An Invasion Of Privacy?, Lorelai Kline, Madelyn Paul, Catherine Scott, Tessa Mullinix

Student Scholar Symposium

The increasing deployment of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) by law enforcement agencies has sparked significant debate regarding the balance between public safety and individual privacy rights in the digital age. This research investigates whether the use of LPRs constitutes an invasion of privacy, examining the tension between law enforcement's legitimate need for surveillance tools and citizens' constitutional rights to privacy.

This research examines court decisions and legal articles to understand how LPRs affect privacy rights. By looking at important cases like Carpenter v. United States and reviewing what legal experts have written, we can better understand when and how …

Muted Or Moderated: The Fight Over Free Speech, Ashlen Jones, Madaha Lewis, Sophia Shear, Lydia Scoper

Student Scholar Symposium

Social media platforms control online speech through content moderation, raising questions about censorship and First Amendment rights. Traditionally, the First Amendment protects speech from government interference, but private platforms now play a major role in regulating public discourse. This presentation examines how First Amendment principles apply to modern content moderation. By analyzing cases like Murthy v. Missouri and NetChoice v. Griffin, we explore the legal impact of online censorship and the difference between government restrictions and private platform policies. This research looks at the future of constitutional protections and corporate governance of digital spaces, offering insight into the future of …

Ai On Trial: Facial Recognition In Law Enforcement, Mallory Renee Syvertson, Morgan Marie Juillerat, Elijah Willson Ranck, Hayden Joseph Cassetto

Student Scholar Symposium

No abstract provided.

Eyes Everywhere: Unpacking The Digital Surveillance State In Mexico And The Legal Blind Spots, Danielle Mena

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

This article examines the rise of digital surveillance in Mexico and its implications for privacy, human rights, and democratic governance. Despite constitutional and legislative protections guaranteeing personal privacy and freedom of expression, Mexico has developed one of the most extensive surveillance systems in the Americas. Through tools such as Pegasus spyware and the C5 urban surveillance network, government agencies have expanded their monitoring capabilities, often under the guise of national security. However, the misuse of these technologies against journalists, activists, and political dissidents reveals legal and institutional deficiencies. The article analyzes the evolution of Mexico’s digital surveillance infrastructure, identifies the …

Democratic Integrity Under Threat: Confronting Disinformation With Legislative And Structural Reforms, Sophia Brociner

Journal of Law and Policy

In the modern digital era, disinformation has evolved from a political strategy into a fundamental threat to democratic governance. This Note contends that the absence of comprehensive federal legislation addressing political disinformation on social media has compromised both the integrity of elections and the public’s trust in government institutions. By analyzing the disinformation campaigns that shaped the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections, this Note demonstrates how false and AI-generated content, amplified by both foreign and domestic actors, has manipulated voters, deepened political polarization, and destabilized public confidence in democratic processes. The discussion examines how rapid technological development, insufficient regulatory …

Empathy On Trial: The Role Of Neuroscience And Communication In Sexual Violence Jurisprudence, Samantha M. Gonzales

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Sexual violence remains a contentious public safety and legal challenge, which has become further complicated by the tension between supporting victim-survivors and safeguarding the falsely accused. False accusations, though still well below the numbers of rightly accused, are experiencing a rise in popularity given recent (past ten years) political climates. This thesis examines how communication theory, neuroscience, and law intersect in molding perceptions of truth, culpability, and justice in sexual violence cases; while also examining the intersectionality of those fields in addressing the candor of allegations, the rate of recidivism, and quality of public health and safety. The most prominent …

"Blocking Out The Haters:" Government Officials Create Split Among Federal Judiciary, Andrew Weisgerber

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Living Property, Joseph William Singer

Seattle University Law Review

The Supreme Court has increasingly defined property rights that are per se exempt from regulation in the absence of compensation, most recently in Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid (2021) and Tyler v. Hennepin County (2023). The Court claims that it can identify property rights that are categorically protected from regulation by reference to history, tradition, and precedent. Yet this approach is oddly ahistorical; it is inconsistent with the fact that property law changed dramatically over U.S. history, as well as varying tremendously among the states. It is also inconsistent with the historical context of the Founding era. At that time, …

Table Of Contents

Seattle University Law Review

Table of Contents

Redefining Section 230 Immunity, Lucas Dini

Seattle University Law Review

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has provided broad immunity to online platforms for third-party content which was the foundation for the internet's growth. However, the rise in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to produce algorithms to curate content to users of online services has blurred the line between being a passive host of third party content and active editorial control. This Note examines the legal, policy, and constitutional implications of applying Section 230 immunity to platforms that use AI to curate and promote third-party content. This analysis argues that algorithmic promotion of third-party content constitutes a platform's …

Overcrowding The System: Rethinking Juvenile Justice In Washington State, Mckenna White

Seattle University Law Review

The recent crisis at Green Hill School highlights the detrimental consequences of severe overcrowding in Washington State’s Juvenile Rehabilitation system—a problem exacerbated by the implementation of the JR to 25 legislation. This Note argues that the juvenile rehabilitation system, which is currently struggling to manage a wide age range of offenders, necessitates a fundamental rethinking of juvenile justice practices. By examining neurological research indicating continued brain development into the mid-twenties, along with the high prevalence of trauma among justice-involved youth, this Note proposes the creation of a dedicated third system of care within the Department of Children, Youth, and Families …

“A Plain Denial”: Reclaiming Equal Protection In American Juvenile Law, Addie C. Rolnick, David S. Tanenhaus, Justin Iverson, Danielle L. Silvestri

Seattle University Law Review

Juvenile courts are based on the premise that children are different from adults and should therefore be treated differently. Children may be treated more informally by courts, punished for different purposes, and brought before the court for different behaviors. Since In re Gault, the Supreme Court has been clear that there are limits to how different juvenile courts can be. Juveniles are entitled to many of the same procedural protections as adult criminal defendants, although the Court has preserved some procedural differences where it has determined that their benefit is outweighed by the need to preserve the informality, flexibility, …

Neurodiversity In The Courtroom: Expanding Jury Service Accessibility Beyond Physical Disability, Samantha L. Mabe

Seattle University Law Review

The Americans with Disabilities Act has required equal access to jury service for decades; however, efforts to accommodate jurors with disabilities have been slow to develop beyond some minor accommodations for physical disabilities. While neurodivergent people frequently struggle to navigate a world catered toward neurotypical people, jury service remains inaccessible for many neurodivergent people who need accommodations to attend trial and engage in jury deliberations. If courts and advocates do not consider how to develop accommodations to secure the service of neurodivergent jurors, they will miss out on the unique skillsets that neurodivergent people can bring to resolving disputes.

Disabled …