Lawsuit Against Google Over In-App Purchases By Minors Squeaks Past Motion to Dismiss

Lawsuit Against Google Over In-App Purchases By Minors Squeaks Past Motion to Dismiss

This is a lawsuit against Google over in-app purchases made by minor children, reminiscent of a similar lawsuit against Apple. Plaintiff on behalf of a putative class alleged that, among other things, Google allowed someone to make a purchase for…

Online Marketplaces Facilitating Gun Sales Don't Kill People. People Kill People (Forbes Cross-Post)

Online Marketplaces Facilitating Gun Sales Don’t Kill People. People Kill People (Forbes Cross-Post)

We’re seeing increasing attempts to hold online marketplaces responsible for illegal user transactions on their site. A recent federal appellate ruling rejected one such lawsuit involving an online gun marketplace transaction that led to a murder. What Happened After his…

Judge Koh Dismisses the Bulk of the Yahoo Email Scanning Class Action

Judge Koh Dismisses the Bulk of the Yahoo Email Scanning Class Action

Plaintiffs are non-Yahoo email users who sent messages to Yahoo users. They allege that Yahoo’s email scans violate federal and state wiretapping laws and invade their privacy. ECPA: This claim alleges that Yahoo “intercepts” the emails. ECPA is subject to…

It's Not Possible To Steal Facebook 'Likes'--Mattocks v. BET

It’s Not Possible To Steal Facebook ‘Likes’–Mattocks v. BET

In 2008, Plaintiff Stacey Mattocks developed an (initially unofficial) Facebook page focusing on “The Game,” a television series initially aired on CW and later acquired by BET. In 2010, BET contacted Mattocks and hired her as a part-time worker, paying…

Primer on European Union's Right To Be Forgotten (Excerpt from My Internet Law Casebook) + Bonus Linkwrap

Primer on European Union’s Right To Be Forgotten (Excerpt from My Internet Law Casebook) + Bonus Linkwrap

I haven’t yet written about the ECJ Right to Be Forgotten ruling directly, though I’ve already referenced it on the blog a few times. The ruling itself came out during a business trip when I was tied up, so I…

New Copyright Office Compendium Discussion About Designating Sec. 512 Agents

New Copyright Office Compendium Discussion About Designating Sec. 512 Agents

The Copyright Office has released a pretty nifty document called the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition. The second edition was written 30 years ago, so it’s about time we got a new edition! I thought the document…

What's a Browsewrap? The Ninth Circuit Sure Doesn't Know--Nguyen v. Barnes & Noble

What’s a Browsewrap? The Ninth Circuit Sure Doesn’t Know–Nguyen v. Barnes & Noble

This is a lawsuit over Barnes & Noble’s alleged failure to honor its closeout advertisements for Hewlett-Packard Touchpads. (Coverage of the district court ruling here: “Barnes & Noble’s Online Contract Formation Process Fails–Nguyen v. Barnes & Noble.” Plaintiff (Nguyen) placed an…

Announcing the Second Edition of "Advertising & Marketing Law: Cases and Materials" by Tushnet & Goldman

Announcing the Second Edition of “Advertising & Marketing Law: Cases and Materials” by Tushnet & Goldman

Rebecca Tushnet and I are pleased to announce the release of Advertising & Marketing Law: Cases and Materials, second edition (2014). It’s available at Gumroad as a $11.50 DRM-free download (PDF version / epub mobile device version) and other outlets….

Copying Blogger's Posts In Disciplinary Proceeding Is Fair Use--Denison v. Larkin

Copying Blogger’s Posts In Disciplinary Proceeding Is Fair Use–Denison v. Larkin

The plaintiff, JoAnne M. Denison, is an Illinois attorney and operated a blog, MaryGSykes.com. Denison blogged about a guardianship case she believed was marred by corruption. The Illinois attorney disciplinary board alleged that she made false statements on her blog…

Fictional Software Brand In 'Dark Knight Rises' Movie Doesn't Infringe Real-Life Software Brand--Fortres Grand v. Warner Bros.

Fictional Software Brand In ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Movie Doesn’t Infringe Real-Life Software Brand–Fortres Grand v. Warner Bros.

This case involves a key plot device, called “Clean Slate” software, from the movie Dark Knight Rises, part of the umpteenth attempt to reboot the Batman franchise. The fictional software provides an uber right-to-be-forgotten; it “enables an individual to erase…