California’s Eraser Button law, which went into effect on January 1, 2015, could impact the business practices of every “Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application” directed toward users in California under the age of 18. What does this law actually say, and what should website and app owners look out for?
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Archives: Social Media Law
Social Media Law: Can an Employee be Fired for a Facebook Like?
September 9, 2014
Time for another social media law update. Last year a federal appeals court ruled that Facebook “Likes” are speech protected by the First Amendment. Now the National Labor Relations Board has issued a ruling concerning an employee who was fired for liking another employee’s Facebook status update – which, as you might expect, was critical of the company.
Using Copyright to Suppress Criticism?
August 11, 2014
Most artists don’t like to be criticized. Is it going too far to use the tools of copyright to suppress criticism of one’s art? That’s the discussion going around about comics artist Randy Queen and his use of Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices against Escher Girls, a blog that challenged Queen’s depictions of female anatomy.
Copyright Issue: Can You Play Music in Your YouTube Videos?
July 30, 2014
YouTube star Michelle Phan, who posts videos about makeup, has been sued by the Ultra recording and publishing companies (we’ll just call them “Ultra”). The suit alleges copyright infringement based on the music soundtracks in Phan’s videos. As of this writing, Phan’s YouTube channel has 6,749,142 subscribers and 981,217,011 views, so, while her videos may not be everyone’s thing (I don’t happen to watch a whole lot of makeup tutorials myself), there are big dollars and a lot of viewer eyeballs at stake. So – can you play music in your YouTube videos?
