A new social networking site, OnlyMeWorld, is claiming to provide a “social network with some anonymity & privacy.” Because this new site never asks for a real name or email address, it provides increased privacy protection for users.
Read the entire article here:
Allowing users to edit or contribute content without an in-house check or balance may lead to inaccuracies in the information found through social media. Certainly this has been the case with Wikipedia and is also, apparently, an issue with Google Places. A recent blog entry at Law.com examines the Google Places issue.
“Do No Evil? Using Google to Harm Your Competitors.”
Are both journalists and the public now turning to social media for news? A recent article by Gordon G. Andrew maintains that PR practitioners have essentially destroyed the efficacy of the press release through overuse. This has caused journalists, like the general public, to turn to social media for breaking news. This raises some interesting legal issues, especially with regards to the reliability of much of the information found on social media. The recent case of NBC’s twitter feed being hacked with news of a terrorist attack at ground zero is simply one example of how social media as a news gathering tool should be used with caution.
Read the full article:
“Death by Content: How Press Release Abuse Killed PR.”
Here’s a recent article from Forbes in which Adam Ludwig interviews John Hagel. Hagel discusses the ways in which the Internet is changing how corporations do business, particularly in relation to knowledge flow both within and between companies and individuals.
Read the entire article here:
“John Hagel on Empowerment, Management Fears, and Social Software in Business.”
Here’s another interesting article on Police Departments incorporating Social Media, like Facebook and Twitter, into their arsenals: to catch criminals, to inform the public, and to build good relationships with the public. All of these uses may have future impact in courts.
“Law Enforcement Turning to Social Media” by Joni Berg
Here’s a recent blog post from Perry4Law (an Indian law firm) on the changing legal landscape regarding Social Media in India.
http://ictps.blogspot.com/2011/09/social-networking-laws-in-india.html
The Dallas Police Department is hosting “the leading conference devoted to social media, Internet and law enforcement initiatives.” Dallas will play host to law enforcement professionals from all over the country in this fourth running of the three day event. Read the entire story here:
“Dallas PD to Host Social Media the Internet and Law Enforcement (SMILE) Conference”
A recent article by Ameet Sachdev in the Chicago Tribune discusses a report issued by the National Labor Relations Board “detailing the outcome of investigations into 14 charges of unfair labor practices involving social media.” Once again the discussion centers around the issues of free speech and determining how previous guidelines (in this case workplace rules) can be applied to the new forms of communication provided by social media.
The entire article can be read here:
“Social Media Emerges as Battleground for Protected Speech at Work”
What is the law as it pertains to giveaways and promotions on social media sites? Businesses can use social media very effectively to promote themselves, and giveaways and promotions are a great way to attract attention. Here is a very practical article on what every business should know about the law before proceeding.
Read the full article:
“Social Media Promotions and the Law: What You Need to Know” by Sara Hawkins.
Teachers in Missouri are concerned over new state laws that will impact on how they interact with their students on the Internet.
Reuters carried the full story by Kevin Murphy:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/20/us-schools-missouri-suit-idUSTRE77J1QW20110820