By: Sarah McLaughlin Cutting in and out, talking over one another, the constant “can everyone hear me?” or worse yet, an unexpected situation when a participant doesn’t realize they left their camera on. In the post-pandemic world, we have all become far too familiar with the trials and tribulations of remote meetings. Now, consider those… Read More Justice on Mute: Navigating the Trials & Tribulations of Zoom Court
By: Douglas DeBettencourt Many people are familiar with billionaire Elon Musk, whether it is for leading the electric car industry, buying Twitter, or flying civilians to space. However, Elon Musk has made headlines recently for different reasons when he announced he was activating Starlink satellite internet service in Iran. This decision came as an effort… Read More Fighting Suppression with Technology: Can the Recent Activation of Starlink Really Help Iranians?
A federal judge denied the request to throw out a class-action suit alleging that Google secretly scoops up troves of internet data, even if users browse in “Incognito” mode. In the ongoing case of Brown v. Google LLC, the plaintiffs argue that Google did not notify users that Google engages in the alleged data collection while the user is in private browsing mode, though Google argues that the plaintiffs consented to its privacy policy. With the increase in consumer data collection and uncertainty around how/when this data is being used, federal legislation, like the California Consumer Privacy Act, requiring data use disclosure may be the best method to offer users this kind of data autonomy. … Read More Not-So Incognito: Collection of Your Private Internet Browsing History
The DOJ dismissed the Trump administration’s legal challenge to California’s net neutrality statute. The California legislation bars internet service providers from slowing down website speeds, blocking access to certain websites and charging for large websites. As the law is still being challenged in the same court in a case brought by telecommunications industry trade groups, now is the time to discuss the renewal of federal net neutrality protections. Protecting our access to a free and open internet is now more important than ever in order to maintain a competitive marketplace and a fair democracy.… Read More DOJ Drops Suit Against California Statute, Now It’s Time for National Net Neutrality Protection
This blog discusses the International Law implications of commercial use of satellites in outer space, focusing on Space X’s and Amazon’s space-based internet projects–Starlink and Kuiper. This blog further analyzes how the two tech-giants may interfere with current international law obligations under pre-existing treaty obligations. Finally, this blog will address the necessary considerations companies like Amazon and Space X should take into account before entering a space that can impact the economy and communication systems of other countries. … Read More Warning Signal: The Implications of SpaceX’s and Amazon’s Satellite-Based Internet Technology on International Law
This post examines the context of the introduction of the SAFE TECH Act, primarily looking at what it hopes to amend, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Criticisms of the act are also discussed as well as where the legislation could come into conflict with the First Amendment.… Read More The SAFE TECH Act: An offer of internet reform along with a potential collision with the First Amendment
This blog discusses the digital divide and the disparities that exist in technology access. Poorer communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by a lack of access to computers and Internet, which will impact online learning. The United States must do more to invest in education in more vulnerable communities and ensure that students have the resources that they need to perform in an online environment.… Read More The Digital Divide: Magnified by the Coronavirus Pandemic
Faced with the dilemma of keeping their website free from unlawful activity, YouTube’s Content ID system works to keep copyright infringement at bay. Unfortunately, the automated system leaves small content creators voiceless at the whim of copyright claims from corporate entities. Is there a realistic solution for Youtube?… Read More STRIKING OUT – YOUTUBE’S SWING-AND-MISS COPYRIGHT ID SYSTEM
In the heat of the debate over “net neutrality,” President Trump’s repeal of formerly proposed broadband privacy regulations shed light on a disturbingly nosey industry.
With the number of websites that exist on the Internet, how is one to find anything their looking for without sifting through hundreds of Google results? ICANN is attempting to fix this problem through the use of generic top level domains. … Read More And the Internet’s Next Top Domain Name is…. A look at the latest gTLDs.
As many individuals rely on the Internet for freedom of expression and access to information and resources, this begs the question on if cyber security is a fundamental rights. The United Nations equates the right to an individual’s right to privacy in the physical sphere and has adopted resolutions intended to ensure this type of cyber privacy.… Read More Life, Liberty and the Right to Access the Internet? Viewing Cyber Security as a Fundamental Human Right
In response to widespread panic over the passage of SJR34, several crowdfunding projects have emerged. They are promising that if they raise enough money, they will be able to purchase the browsing histories of the congressmen who voted for the resolution, thus defaming them publicly. However, several legal and tech experts are stating that trying to buy and disseminate the information is both impossible and illegal.… Read More You Can’t Always Buy What You Want
By: Mayra Neimerck The “Blurred Lines” legal drama that began in August 2013 has finally come to its legal end. A federal jury ruled that Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams’s smash hit had infringed on the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s 1977 song “Got to Give It Up,” and subsequently awarded more than $7.3 million to… Read More “Blurred Lines” Copyright Case: Should it be Reversed?
POSTED BY Nico Pingaro President Obama made an effort to secure net neutrality calling on the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ensure and protect that neutrality. President Obama stated, “I believe the FCC should create a new set of rules protecting Net neutrality and ensuring that neither the cable company nor the phone… Read More Net Neutrality – President Obama’s Mission to Ban Internet Gatekeeping
By: Mayra Neimerck We live in a digital age, where everyone has probably built some kind of online past, whether through social media postings, photos, newspaper articles or public documents. Recently, a number of celebrity nude photographs were released online. Most of these photos were obtained illegally but will circulate endlessly throughout the Internet.… Read More Should America Adopt the Right to be Forgotten?
By: Michael O’Brien At this moment, you are able to access the Internet via your phone, tablet, or computer and surf the web or watch videos at relatively the same speed as everyone else. But what if in the near future you were unable to stream videos from your best friend’s blog as fast… Read More The Fast Lane Should Only Apply to Highways, not the Internet
POSTED BY Mayra Neimerck Innovators are revolutionizing the U.S. pay-television market. If you could get your TV over the Internet and have access to all your favorite shows, without a cable or satellite subscription fee, what would you do? Just about any person would choose to cut the cord. The term cord-cutters refers to people… Read More Post-Aereo: Where does that Leave Cord-Cutters?
POSTED BY Jeremiah Chapin Since its creation in 2004, Yelp has become a household name. Many consumers have trusted blindly in the online resource that allows anyone with Internet access to post reviews on everything from the local pizza place to a hospital or doctors’ office. Many have praised the online service for bringing a… Read More Yelp: The Power of Online Reviews
POSTED BY Hillary Cheng In conjunction with the Rappaport Center, Suffolk Law Professor Jessica Silbey is organizing a program to teach online privacy to Boston-area middle schoolers with the help of law student volunteers. The program’s curriculum was developed at Fordham Law School, a project funded by a cy pres award in a settlement. The… Read More Educating Middle School Students on Internet Privacy
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