Blogiversary: Who Reads the Blog, and Why? (Part 3 of 10)

I’m continuing my coverage of my 20th blogiversary. This post is all about you…readers of the blog!

My blog post usually aren’t meant to be accessible to beginners. If I covered the basics in each post, I would spend a lot of time and energy addressing non-novel points. It would be boring and redundant for me to write, and it would be unhelpful for the intermediate and advanced readers.

As a result, since nearly the blog’s beginning, I’ve done little to cater to beginners. I just start talking in my posts about what I think is new or interesting and assume a lot of foundational knowledge, especially when I’ve covered the topic many times before.

Given the choices I’ve made, not surprisingly, most of my readers are academics or mid/senior-level lawyers (in-house or outside counsel). Some of them described themselves and why they read the blog:

• “A senior director on our legal team forwarded one of your blog posts to a few of us on the litigation team a few days into me starting in-house. I’m someone who was new to tech, the Bay Area, and in-house practice (after coming from 5 years in private practice somewhere in the Eleventh Circuit). Let’s just say it’s been a cultural and professional adjustment on many levels! I’m very grateful for your blog!”
• [From a PhD student]: “one reason I read the blog is to be updated. Obviously. You provide both quick and snark responses and in-depth (and snark) reviews that are just really helpful with facts on what is going on. The second–more critical reason–is that most of my initial reactions to tech and law news are opposite of yours! BUT….I always value your passionate and thoughtful interrogation of the issues at stake. You combine the zeal of a fanatic with a deep commitment to providing reasons and articulating your position as clearly and frankly as possible. That is admirable for me as a young scholar and compelling for me as a reader. You help me push my own thinking.”
• “I’m a litigator often specializing in internet law related issues, particularly under Section 230. I most often represent Google and YouTube, amongst others (some of my cases have been discussed on your blog which is always fun). I read the blog primarily to track other cases that don’t show up in my alerts, see the reactions and analysis that you and others share, and generally stay up-to-date in this area of law.”
• “A professor, to keep up on the latest internet law trends.”
• “Partner at “big law” firm focusing on Trademark/Advertising/Online Liability”
• “I’m a copyright attorney working for Authors Alliance. I read your blog because it is THE BEST blog on IP and Internet Law: the writing, the research, the topic selection… Everything is top notch! I always learn something new.”
• “I’m a senior lawyer at an IT company based in Kyiv, Ukraine. As a general legal counsel, my work covers a bit of everything, but I mostly focus on privacy and compliance matters for some of my large clients who operate applications in the U.S. Since there are no specialized courses or law schools here that cover U.S. law, I attended a special course for Ukrainians organized by Chicago-Kent College of Law. That course taught me the basics and gave me a good foundation, but since it ended, I’ve been teaching myself by reading publicly available cases on govinfo.gov and following your blog.”
• “I am a law professor who teaches and writes about intellectual property and entertainment law with a focus on trademarks and false advertising, particularly online.”
• “Assistant Professor of Practice…I also have a law degree and teach Cyberlaw each fall at our law college. I read to stay current throughout the year, looking for insights and different perspectives, potentially even some seeds to plant for exam questions.”
• “I am a Professor of Law….I read Eric Goldman’s informative and interesting blog several times a week to ensure that I am up to date on new cases and proposed legislation in the trademark, copyright, advertising, and technology law area.”
• “I teach business law courses to both undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. The content you cover is so important for future business leaders to understand (not just attorneys!), and I constantly find myself bringing it into the classroom to share whenever we cover anything from contracts, securities, torts, IP, to the first amendment.”

I was intrigued by the respondents who fit into other categories, including:

• “I’m a 20 year old second year law student at the University of Bergen, Norway. I found your blog in relation to a TikTok video about an American who had responded to a message from his lawyer about a change in an investment contract with a “thumbs-up”-emoji, which the Court (can’t remember which) found equaled an electronic signature…[Eric’s note: I assume this is the Canadian flax case] I read your blog because American internet law fascinates me, especially when compared to how we do it here in Norway. That’s also why I thoroughly enjoy your coverage of any cases that have to do with censorship.”
• “Hi, I’m [name], a Gen Z with a small marketing and web design business. I read it because it’s an interesting and entertaining way to learn about law related to what I do.”
• “I am an Australian hobby business operator selling online through Etsy, who was targeted twice by the very sad & despicable SAD Scheme. My business was shut down and so was my Australian PayPal account. I discovered your information about this “legal loophole” which is costing the American justice system (and taxpayers) millions of dollars. And causing untold grief to thousands of small businesses like mine.”
• “I am a retired computer programmer, and life time member of the John Birch Society. I am interested in the federal courts, specifically SCOTUS and how rule on things of interest.  Your blog on technology is just what the doctor ordered. I think the internet in general an[d] Social Media and AI specifically, should be open to the 1st amendment and not interfered by government. I think the People and the Free Market should decide.”
• “[I’m] an IT security engineer for an online and single-site brick-and-mortar music gear retailer… I read the blog to:
  • Stay apprised of legal developments that might impact our relationship with, chiefly, our online customers or customers we have digital records of; or our relationship with vendors who process customer data on our behalf.
  • Stay apprised of the continual developments around the interpretation or application of Section 230.
  • Get more-expert or longer-form analysis of legal news than what I might get at Ars Technica – I think Ars probably led me to your blog, initially.
  • As a citizen, better understand our legal system(s) and processes, their health, and how they’re used or misused.
• “I’m a theoretical physicist who struggles mightily at keeping up with Internet law. I have quoted it in letters to my local politicians, in the (vain, I suspect) hope of convincing them that a situation is more complicated than the common rhetoric would make it.”

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Coverage of the 20 year blogiversary:

Part 1: Celebrating the Blog’s 20th Blogiversary
Part 2: How Has the Blog Changed Over the Past 20 Years?
Part 3: Who Reads the Blog, and Why?
Part 4: Readers’ Favorite Topics, Posts, and Memes
Part 5: How the Blog Helps Readers
Part 6: Jess Miers Reflects on the Blogiversary
Part 7: Ethan Ackerman Reflects on the Blogiversary
Part 8: Guest Bloggers of the Technology & Marketing Law Blog
Part 9: How Information Consumption Habits Have Changed Over the Years
Part 10: What Will This Blog Look Like in 10 Years?

Coverage of the 10 year blogiversary:

Part 1: Happy 10th Blogiversary!
Part 2: The Blog’s Impact
Part 3: The Blogosphere’s Evolution
Part 4: Changes in Internet and IP Law
Bonus: A Video Interview About the Blog