47 USC 230 Preempts Sponsorship/Endorsement Liability–Black v. Google
By Eric Goldman Black v. Google, Inc., 2010 WL 3222147 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 13, 2010). The complaint. The Blacks run a roofing company. They claim someone posted an anonymous defamatory comment on an unspecified Google website, and this “comment misrepresents…
New Anti-Libel Tourism Act (HR 2765) Extends 47 USC 230 to Foreign Judgments
By Eric Goldman President Obama signed HR 2765, the “SPEECH Act,” into law, codified at 28 USC Secs. 4101-4105. The act prohibits US courts from enforcing foreign defamation judgments unless (1) the judgment would satisfy First Amendment or similar state…
Web Host Gets Easy 47 USC 230 Win in Catfight–Johnson v. Arden
By Eric Goldman Johnson v. Arden, 2010 WL 3023660 (8th Cir. August 4, 2010). The CMLP page with lots of source materials. I’ve been looking at over-the-top cute kitty pictures all morning. Just try to suppress the “aahs” on a…
Google Gets Complete Win in Rosetta Stone Case
By Eric Goldman Rosetta Stone Ltd. v. Google Inc., 1:09-cv-00736-GBL-TCB (E.D. Va.). Opinion granting Google’s motion to dismiss filed August 3, 2010, 2010 WL 3063152. Order granting Google’s motion to dismiss the unjust enrichment claim filed August 2, 2010, 2010…
Google Protected by 17 USC 512(d) for Links to Infringing Content; Perfect 10’s Takedown Notices Were Mostly Insufficient
By Eric Goldman Perfect 10, Inc. v. Google, Inc., 2:04-cv-09484-AHM-SH (C.D. Cal. July 26, 2010) In 2007, the Ninth Circuit issued an important but befuddling ruling in Perfect 10 v. Amazon and Google. That ruling addressed Perfect 10’s prima facie…
Yet Another TM Owner Gives Up Against Google–Ezzo v. Google
By Eric Goldman Jamil Ezzo has apparently given up his lawsuit against Google over AdWords. The dismissal. This was a silly lawsuit that never should have been brought (it was over the purported trademark “Locate Plastic Surgeon” for gosh sakes),…
Scribd Can’t Shake Copyright and Publicity Rights Lawsuit on Motion to Dismiss–Williams v. Scribd
By Eric Goldman Williams v. Scribd, 3:09-cv-01836-LAB -BGS (S.D. Cal. June 23, 2010). Larry Williams has written several books on commodities trading (their titles suggest they fit into the “Make Money Fast” genre). He alleges that rogue Scribd users, including…
Q2 2010 Quick Links Part 1 (Content Regulation Edition)
By Eric Goldman Online Publication * Too Much Media, LLC v. Hale, 2010 WL 1609274 (N.J. Super. A.D. April 22, 2010). Curating blogger and message board commenter does not qualify for New Jersey’s reporter shield law. The case also says…
OECD Project on Internet Intermediaries, Part 2
By Eric Goldman As I mentioned last week, in June I went to Paris to participate in an OECD Experts Workshop on Internet Intermediaries. At the end of the day, I was one of several people to try to summarize…
Must-Read Empirical Study of 47 USC 230 Jurisprudence by David Ardia
By Eric Goldman David S. Ardia, Free Speech Savior or Shield for Scoundrels: An Empirical Study of Intermediary Immunity Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, 43 Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review 373 (2010) Let me start with…