Socially Aware

November 09, 2017 - Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Data Security, Influencer Marketing, Cyberbullying
Social Links: Potential cures for cyberbullying & other social media ills; cross-device tracking could imperil employers; should AI be regulated?
By: Aaron P. Rubin
After British police unsuccessfully tried to get the blogging platform WordPress.com to remove offensive and threatening posts, the deputy leader of the UK’s Labour Party vowed to urge changes that would make the country’s laws less tolerant of online abuse. As bipartisan U.S. legislation
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November 08, 2017 - Privacy, Stored Communications Act, Big Data, Compliance
SCOTUS to Resolve Lower-Court Dispute Over U.S. Warrants Seeking Foreign-Stored User Data
The U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 16, 2017, announced it had granted the government’s petition for certiorari in United States v. Microsoft and will hear a case this Term that could have lasting implications for how technology companies interact with the U.S government and
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November 07, 2017 - M&A
Pace of M&A Deals in Social Media Industry Slows After Record Year
By: Aaron P. Rubin
Technology-company M&A slowed down significantly over the last year, with deal volume down by 15% across the globe in Q3 of 2017 compared to Q3 of 2016, and a $37 billion decline to $119 billion in Q3 2017 tech-company deal value compared to the
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November 01, 2017 - Advertising, Data Security, Influencer Marketing, Marketing, Privacy
Brands Beware: FTC Continues Campaign on Social Media Influencer Disclosures
By: Julie O'Neill
With much fanfare , the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continues to take actions relating to so-called “social media influencers” who allegedly fail to disclose material connections to the products or brands they endorse. Recurring enforcement actions and guidance—and the FTC’s ongoing promotion of its
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October 18, 2017 - Blockchain, Privacy, IP
Social Links: Russia’s threat to block Facebook; Google’s publisher-friendly move; a cease-and-desist letter worth emulating
By: Aaron P. Rubin
As part of a new tracking system, the Department of Homeland Security will be keeping records of immigrants’ social media handles and search results. Russia to Facebook: Turn over user-information or risk being blocked. Google is ending a policy that required news sites to
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October 05, 2017 - Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Vehicles
Yes, the Trolley IS a Problem
Recently, the “trolley problem,” a decades-old thought experiment in moral philosophy, has been enjoying a second career of sorts, appearing in nightmare visions of a future in which cars make life-and-death decisions for us. Among many driverless car experts, however, talk of trolleys is
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September 27, 2017 - Event, Big Data, M&A, Cybersecurity
Webcast Recording: Privacy + Cybersecurity Due Diligence in M&A Transactions
By: Aaron P. Rubin
In this era of big data, a company’s value may increasingly depend on the value of the information it has collected and stored. As companies amass ever-growing amounts of often sensitive personal data, the privacy and cybersecurity risks involved in mergers and acquisitions have
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September 22, 2017 - Advertising, Artificial Intelligence, European Union, FTC, Influencer Marketing, Privacy, UK, Employment Law, Online Endorsements
Social Links: Social media influencers earn big bucks for endorsements, while the FTC settles a suit against influencers; European court sides with employee axed over emails reviewed by employer
By: Aaron P. Rubin
In 2016, brands spent $570 million on social influencer endorsements on Instagram alone. This recode article takes a looks at how much influencers with certain followings can command, and whether they’re worth the investment. And don’t overlook the legal issues associated with the use
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September 12, 2017 - Privacy, Event
Cross-Device Tracking: A Data Protection Masterclass Webinar
By: Aaron P. Rubin
The number of consumers using multiple devices—from smartphones to tablets to laptop computers—has exploded in recent years and continues to grow globally. Companies are increasingly turning to new technologies in an attempt to ascertain that multiple devices are connected to the same person for
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September 11, 2017 - Blockchain
The Blockchain Revolution
By: Aaron P. Rubin
Blockchain is shaping up as one of the most disruptive IT technologies since the Internet itself, with broad-ranging applications that could transform businesses across the spectrum. Companies that ignore the opportunities—and challenges—created by blockchain and cryptocurrencies may find themselves left behind as more nimble
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