Alan Perkins replied to my previous post on black hat/white hat issues in SEM. (I’m quoting his email with his permission). He took issue with my placing search quality responsibility solely on search engines. He writes: “Why hold a search…
I recently caught up with Chris Anderson’s excellent Wired article The Long Tail from October 2004. This article discusses the consequences of disaggregating copyrighted content from the physical manufacturing/distribution/retailing chain that historically has been required to get that content to…
Google’s AutoLink tool has been in the news. AutoLink picks certain words on a web publisher’s page and turns those into hyperlinks of Google’s choosing. I’m struck by how often this idea has come up. I remember a client pitching…
ClickZ’s Rob McGann reports that comScore’s tracking software has been on a spyware “rollercoaster.” CA called it spyware, then changed its mind, and has changed its mind yet again. comScore wants a new category for the software: “researchware.” Computer Associates…
Greg Lastowka of Terra Nova blogged on my previous post about termination of virtual worlds accounts. If you’re not familiar with Terra Nova, it is the leading blog on virtual world issues. Good comments over there too. Check out the…
Great description by Andrew Goodman of the Black Hat/White Hat panel at Search Engine Strategies Chicago. (I attended the panel and Andrew captures the event perfectly). You should also read Alan Perkins’ follow-up “Ethical Search Engine Optimization Explained,” where he…
SMC Promotions, Inc. v. SMC Promotions, 2005 WL 292492 (C.D. Cal. Feb. 7, 2005). Plaintiff is a product distributor that relies on affiliate marketing. Plaintiff grants a copyright license to affiliates to use catalog photos and descriptions on the affiliates’…
Tattoo artist claims copyright in the tattoo he put on Rasheed Wallace. Note to kids out there contemplating getting a tattoo: don’t do it, but if you do, at least practice safe tattoo-ing and get an adequate copyright license from…
Gator.com v. LL Bean, 2005 WL 351228 (9th Cir. Feb. 15, 2005). In 2001, LL Bean sent a C&D to Gator (now Claria). Gator responded by suing for a declaratory judgment. The district court dismissed Gator’s lawsuit for lack of…
The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce has approved the SPY Act with a modification to clarify that cookies are not covered.