Reports of social media scams that have caused users to lose money had tripled by the end of 2020’s second quarter, resulting in the loss of $117 million during the first two quarters of this year alone. Romance scams and supposed economic relief offers are a large part of the problem, but e-commerce scams are
FCC
Turkey’s new social media law; social media ad spend; Harvard Law School’s social media policy

In an attempt to shut down free speech online, Turkey enacted a law that requires social media platforms with more than a million daily users in Turkey to open an office there or assign a representative who is legally accountable to Turkish authorities. Among other things, the law also requires companies to respond within two…
FCC Clarifies Its Interpretations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Provoking Strong Objections From the Business Community

On July 10, 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a 140-page Omnibus Declaratory Ruling and Order in response to more than two dozen petitions from businesses, attorneys general, and consumers seeking clarity on how the FCC interprets the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). As noted in vigorous dissents by Commissioners Pai and O’Rielly,…
Telemarketing? Try Tweeting
From our sister blog, MoFo Tech:
The FCC’s revised rules for telemarketers and text marketers, which took effect on October 16, 2013, could signal a big shift in how companies direct market, posits Julie O’Neill, a Morrison & Foerster attorney specializing in privacy issues. One section prohibits the use of an autodialer to…
New Issue of the Socially Aware Newsletter Now Available

In the latest issue of Socially Aware, our Burton Award-winning guide to the law and business of social media, we look at recent First Amendment, intellectual property, labor and privacy law developments affecting corporate users of social media and the Internet. We also recap major events from 2012 that have had a substantial impact…
FCC Rules That Opt-Out Confirmation Text Messages Do Not Violate the TCPA

Waves of class actions have recently alleged that the delivery of an opt-out confirmation text message violates the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Thus, a Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) Declaratory Ruling finding that a single opt-out confirmation text does not violate the TCPA comes at a crucial time. The Commission’s decision, issued on November 29,…
What’s Your Facebook Password?
According to press reports, a growing number of employers require job applicants to disclose their login information for Facebook or other social media accounts as a condition of employment. While this practice may very well fall on the wrong side of the law, lawyers and lawmakers are still in the process of establishing the…