MySpace Quietly Won Goofy 230 Ruling in September–Riggs v. MySpace
By Eric Goldman Riggs v. MySpace, Inc., 2:09-cv-03073-GHK-CT (C.D. Cal. Sept. 17, 2009) This case has received some modest attention throughout its history (including a quick mention here when the court upheld MySpace’s user agreement), but the district court’s dismissal…
Web Host Can Terminate Customer for Abusive Call to Customer Support–Mehmet v. Add2Net
By Eric Goldman [This is a relatively minor pro se case, which is why I’ve let it sit this long, but it has a couple of interesting facets that make the case worth blogging even at this late date.] Mehmet…
Teeth Whitening System Brings “Sue the World” Lawsuit Against Ad Agency, Competitor and Search Engines–Dazzlesmile v. Azoogle
By Eric Goldman Dazzlesmile, LLC v. Epic Advertising, Inc., 2:09-cv-01043-PMW (D. Utah complaint filed Nov. 23, 2009) Dazzlesmile sells a teeth whitening system. Presumably these systems generate fat profits, because Dazzlesmile has brought an expensive “sue-the-world” lawsuit against its ad…
Keyword Advertising Lawsuit Survives Motion to Dismiss–Morningware v. Hearthware
By Eric Goldman Morningware, Inc. v. Hearthware Home Products, Inc., 2009 WL 3878251 (N.D. Ill. Nov. 16, 2009) I keep getting calls from reporters operating under the misimpression that trademark owner-vs.-search engine keyword advertising lawsuits are more common than trademark…
A Look at Twitter’s Updated Privacy Policy (November 19, 2009)
[Post by Venkat] As noted on Twitter’s blog, Twitter refreshed its privacy policy yesterday. Given that virtually everything Twitter does is placed under the microscope, I’m sure the policy will be pored over in detail. (Here’s a link to the…
Citysearch Click Fraud Class Certified–Menagerie v. Citysearch
By Eric Goldman Menagerie Productions v. Citysearch, 2009 WL 3770668 (C.D. Cal. Nov. 9, 2009) While we don’t hear much about click fraud litigation any more, there are still some click fraud lawsuits percolating through the courts, including this one…
AALS Law & Computers Meeting in New Orleans
By Eric Goldman I’m pleased to announce the AALS Section on Law and Computers program at the AALS annual meeting in New Orleans on Saturday, January 9, 2010. This program was developed in response to the Call for Papers we…
Keylogger Software Company Not Liable for Eavesdropping by Ex-spouse — Hayes v. SpectorSoft
[Posted by Venkat] In what probably belongs in the “software doesn’t surreptitiously record conversations, people do” file, a federal court in Tennessee rejected Electronic Communications Privacy Act and product liability claims brought by someone whose ex-spouse used software to log…
Tagged Settles Spam and Address Book Harvesting Claims Brought by NY and TX Authorities
[Post by Venkat] Tagged, which is supposedly the “third-largest social networking site in the world” (whatever this means) recently settled enforcement actions brought by New York and Texas Attorneys General. (See coverage at Bits and Media Post.) The basic allegations…
Starbucks Data Breach Plaintiffs Try Their Luck in the 9th Circuit — Krottner v. Starbucks
[Post by Venkat] A lost laptop computer containing the personal information of Starbucks employees prompted a class action lawsuit against Starbucks (in Washington). The lawsuit received some coverage (see, for example Bob McMillan here, and Starbucks Gossip here), but the…