ACLU Mini-Movie on Privacy
The ACLU has put together a humorous (?) look at the possible consequences of a National ID number and widespread data sharing. But the satire partially backfires; I actually wish that vendors offered some of the depicted services! And if…
Initial Assessment of AFP v. Google
Lots of buzz about AFP’s lawsuit against Google for displaying AFP’s headlines and photos in Google News. Personally, I think Google News is great, and I use it often. However, we can’t let our love for Google blind us to…
Batzel v. Smith Dismissal
Politech reports that Batzel v. Smith has been dismissed for procedural reasons. See multi-page TIFF here (I had problems viewing this with my browser–if anyone has a cleaner version, please advise). UPDATE: Evan Brown of InternetCases.com converted the TIFF to…
EFF Against Trademark Dilution Act
The EFF has come out against the Trademark Dilution Revision Act. UPDATE: The law has passed. My comments on the Trademark Dilution Revision Act of 2006 as passed.
Eye-Tracking Studies and Mandatory Disclosures
In writing about the Eyetools eye-tracking technology, Chris Sherman says: “In one study, for example, Eyetools inserted gibberish into E*Trade’s homepage to illustrate that content in a “visual dead zone” doesn’t get read and might as well not exist. Some…
Google/Viaticum, Luteciel
New ruling from the Versailles Court of Appeals in the Google/Viaticum, Luteciel case over Google France’s sale of the keywords “bourse de voyages”, “bourse de vols” and “bdv” to competitors. Once again, Google France loses. The French courts continue to…
New 47 USC 230 case–Roskowski v. Corvallis Police Officers’ Association
Roskowski v. Corvallis Police Officers’ Association, 2005 WL 555398 (D. Ore. Mar. 9, 2005). Messy disputes between the former Corvallis Chief of Police and the police officer’s association. The Association set up a website to disseminate its gripes with the…
NY Times on Video News Releases from the US Government
If you want another good reason not to watch TV news, read this lengthy damning indictment by the New York Times. The article describes how TV news shows often broadcast video news releases prepared by the US government without clarifying…
EPIC Report on Privacy Self-Regulation
Chris Hoofnagle of EPIC has written an interesting report entitled “Privacy Self Regulation: A Decade of Disappointment.” Not surprisingly, given EPIC’s general stance (and the title of the report), Hoofnagle concludes that industry self-regulation of online privacy has failed. Therefore,…
Complaint in Jewish Rock and Roll Hall of Fame TM Case
I’ve uploaded the complaint in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Inc. v. Jewish Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inc., Civ. No. 1:05CV0527 (N.D. Ohio filed Feb. 7, 2005). See my earlier post on this.