In a follow up to Wednesday’s post, Twitter has complied with a Manhattan Judge’s order to hand over a user’s tweets or fact a contempt of court charge. However, the tweets will remain sealed pending an appeal. Read Don Reisenger’s article “Twitter Hands Over Occupy Protestor’s Tweets” for more information.
Ever wonder what makes a social media lawyer different from any other lawyer? “What the Heck Does a Social Media Lawyer Do Anyway?” gives a thorough overview to the major issues that a social media lawyer might be involved in. It’s not surprising that in a fast-paced and ever changing environment like social media, a social media lawyer can expect a great deal of variety to come their way.
Two recent cases highlight that posting to Facebook is not as uncomplicated as you may think. A defamation case in the UK recognized that a third party did have to disclose information on users whose identities were sought by the plaintiff. In the US, employee guidelines for social media were seen to be too broad and often violated the National Labor Review Board rules. “Social Media Spotlight: Latest Legal Moves in the UK and US” gives an in-depth look at both cases.
Gervase de Wilde provides a very useful summary of some recent, important cases from the Supreme Court concerning First Amendment rights. In addition, the article covers recent cases that deal with defamation, libel, privacy, and other social media generated concerns. The article, “US Freedom of Expression and Media Law Round-Up”, provides a good synopsis of cases you should be aware of.
California is poised to pass SB1349 which would make it illegal for colleges or universities to demand students reveal their social media passwords. Lori Pruitt’s article “Law Would Ban College From Getting Social Media Passwords” looks at this timely back-to-school issue.
Here are two articles that look at who may be responsible for your Facebook posts. Katie Anderson’s article, “Fishing On Facebook May Put Employers ‘On the Hook'”, explores the legal ramifications of employers sifting through employees’ Facebook accounts. Hayes Hunt and Jillian R. Thornton’s article “Facebook and Twitter Subpoenas, Privacy and The Law”, takes another look at who controls the “private” information you post and tweet. Issues of control and privacy are continuing to evolve, and it’s increasingly important to keep abreast of how courts may be evolving in their responses.
A seemingly innocent post on Facebook blowing off a little steam which you may think is just being seen by your friends could land you in hot water. While context and privacy settings will ultimately be considered, you could find yourself in court before that happens if someone takes an idle post more seriously than you mean it. Robert Hilson looks at the issue in his article “Posting Idle Facebook Threats May Land Social Media Users in Law Enforcement Crosshairs.”
With more and more businesses and individuals turning to the cloud for data storage, it is more important than ever to insure that that data is secure. Peter Cochrane’s article, “Cloud Security: Why the Future’s Bright – But Not If You’re On the Dark Side”, offers some tips to increase your security.
Indian Interior Advisor Rehman Malik says social media must be regulated. Read more here.
Both public and private schools in Delaware are now subject to a law which prohibits them from requiring students to surrender their social media passwords. California and Maryland are debating similar legislation to protect student privacy. Neha Prakash discusses the issues in “Delaware Law to Give Students Increased Online Privacy.”