Adware Advertiser Sidesteps Liability

Adware Advertiser Sidesteps Liability

This case involves a browser plug-in from IMS, whose affiliates allegedly surreptitiously installed the plug-in on users’ computers. The plug-in allegedly caused pop-up ads to appear when users visited designated websites. Reed Elsevier allegedly advertised via these pop-up ads, triggering…

Blogiversary Celebration Part 4: How Internet Law and IP Law Have Evolved

Blogiversary Celebration Part 4: How Internet Law and IP Law Have Evolved

This is the final part of my four-part series celebrating our 10th blogiversary. I asked the following question: What do you think is the most significant change in intellectual property law or Internet law over the past 10 years? This…

Court Rejects Argument That ECPA Does not Apply to Spousal Interception of Email--LaRocca v. LaRocca

Court Rejects Argument That ECPA Does not Apply to Spousal Interception of Email–LaRocca v. LaRocca

Eloisa LaRocca alleged that her former husband installed spyware on her computer and intercepted emails she sent. The ex-husband moved for summary judgment on the basis that ECPA did not apply to spousal interceptions of electronic communications. The ex-husband also…

Lawsuit Against Adware Vendor Fails--Halperin v. Text Enhance

Lawsuit Against Adware Vendor Fails–Halperin v. Text Enhance

Text Enhance, a program developed by Affluent Ads, scans web page text for certain keywords. When the user mouses over any of those keywords, the adware serves up a pop-up ad on the user’s computer. Halperin ended up with Text…

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…

Google Wins Cookie Privacy Lawsuit

Google Wins Cookie Privacy Lawsuit

In re Google Inc. Cookie Placement Consumer Privacy Litigation, MDL Civ No. 12-2358 (D. Del. Oct. 9, 2013) [pdf] The factual background in the court’s order is fairly brief. In a nutshell, plaintiffs sued Google, along with advertisers and networks,…

Court Rejects Attempt to Hold Software Company Liable for Surveillance Conducted by Its Customer – Luis v. Zang

[Post by Venkat Balasubramani] Luis v. Zang, 12 cv 629 (S.D. Oh. Mar. 5, 2013) Divorces have spawned some of the most interesting privacy disputes, such as the cases involving whether GPS surveillance of a vehicle violated one spouse’s privacy…

Lawyer Who Advised Brother-in-Law Regarding the Use of Spyware on His Wife Disqualified in Ensuing Privacy Dispute — Zang v. Zang

[Post by Venkat Balasubramani] Zang v. Zang, 11-cv-00884 (S.D. Ohio; Aug. 30, 2012) This is another case involving surreptitious monitoring in the context of a divorce. I’ve half-jokingly mentioned that people who deploy monitoring or tracking software should seek the…

State Privacy Claims not Preempted by ECPA — Leong v. Carrier IQ

[Post by Venkat Balasubramani] Leong v. Carrier IQ et al., CV 12-01562 GAF (NRWx) (C.D. Cal.; Apr. 27, 2012) This case addresses the issue of whether claims under state privacy statutes are preempted by ECPA, the federal statute governing the…

Court Disregards Check-the-Box Agreement and Doesn’t Enforce Venue Clause — Dunstan v. comScore

[Post by Venkat Balasubramani with additional comments from Eric] Dunstan v. comScore, Inc., 11-cv-05807 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 7, 2011) Plaintiffs sued comScore, alleging that comScore improperly obtained and misused plaintiff’s personal information, after plaintiffs downloaded and used comScore’s software. comScore…