Welcome to Socially Aware

Socially Aware is devoted to the law and business of social media, proactively addressing emerging issues and keeping our clients informed of new developments. We cover fields such as artificial intelligence, privacy and data security, Section 230, intellectual property, and much more.

May 20, 2012 - Event, Copyright
Pinterest: Key Legal Considerations in Using the Internet’s Hottest Social Media Platform
Pinterest is 2012’s “most talked-about” social media platform and one of the fastest-growing standalone websites in history. By tapping into the enthusiasm for gathering and presenting images that have been pulled from across the web, Pinterest has created a powerful content sharing platform – and
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May 18, 2012 - Privacy, Litigation
New York Court to Criminal Defendant: Your Tweets May Be Used Against You
By: J. Alexander Lawrence
In past Socially Aware posts, we have discussed using subpoenas in civil litigation to obtain evidence from social media sites, including whether individuals have a privacy interest in this information and how the Stored Communications Act may limit the use of subpoenas in civil
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May 01, 2012 - FCC, Privacy, Employment Law
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,
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April 26, 2012 - Privacy, Ethics, Litigation
A Dirty Job: TheDirty.com Cases Show the Limits of CDA Section 230
We’ve reported before on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), the 1996 statute that states, “[n]o provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” Courts
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April 25, 2012 - Online Promotions, Terms of Use, Privacy, IP
Caveat Emptor, Part II: A Brief Overview of Twitter’s Terms of Service and Related Documents
In our September 2010 issue of Socially Aware , we provided a brief overview of Facebook’s “ Statement of Rights and Responsibilities ,” the social media service’s complex set of terms and conditions that companies frequently “click-accept” with little review (often, in a rush
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April 23, 2012 - Financial Institutions
California Provides Social Media Guidance for Financial Institutions
By: Julie O'Neill
While Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media platforms have become an increasingly important tool for businesses across industries to meet their customers’ needs and expectations, financial institutions have been slow to embrace social media. This is likely attributable to the highly regulated environment
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April 10, 2012 - FTC, Privacy
FTC’s Privacy Report Suggests Tightening of Privacy Regime, Provides Guidance to Business
By: Julie O'Neill
On March 26, 2012, the Federal Trade Commission (the “Commission” or “FTC”) released its much-anticipated final privacy report, Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change. The report builds upon the Commission’s December 2010 preliminary report, and provides recommendations for businesses and policymakers
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April 05, 2012 - Crowdsourcing, Securities Law, SEC, JOBS Act
The JOBS Act Opens Door for Crowdfunding Offerings
For several months, various legislative proposals that would ease regulatory and financing burdens on smaller companies have been discussed by legislators, business leaders and commentators. These proposals were brought together under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act (H.R. 3606). The JOBS Act was
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March 15, 2012 - Terms of Use
Facebooks’s Online Terms of Service Held to Be Enforceable
In the recent online contracting case of Fteja v. Facebook, Inc. , a New York federal court held that a forum selection clause contained in Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (the “Terms”) was enforceable because the plaintiff assented to the Terms when registering
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March 09, 2012 - E-Personation
Vindictive Ex-girlfriend Could Face 18 Months in Prison for Facebook “E-Personation”
By: Jessica Kaufman
Late last year, Superior Court Judge David Ironson in Morristown, New Jersey, declined to dismiss an indictment of identity theft against Dana Thornton, who allegedly created a false Facebook page that portrayed her ex-boyfriend, narcotics detective Michael Lasalandra, in a highly unfavorable light. According
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Welcome to Socially Aware

Pinterest: Key Legal Considerations in Using the Internet’s Hottest Social Media Platform

New York Court to Criminal Defendant: Your Tweets May Be Used Against You

By: J. Alexander Lawrence

What’s Your Facebook Password?

A Dirty Job: TheDirty.com Cases Show the Limits of CDA Section 230

Caveat Emptor, Part II: A Brief Overview of Twitter’s Terms of Service and Related Documents

California Provides Social Media Guidance for Financial Institutions

By: Julie O'Neill

FTC’s Privacy Report Suggests Tightening of Privacy Regime, Provides Guidance to Business

By: Julie O'Neill

The JOBS Act Opens Door for Crowdfunding Offerings

Facebooks’s Online Terms of Service Held to Be Enforceable

Vindictive Ex-girlfriend Could Face 18 Months in Prison for Facebook “E-Personation”

By: Jessica Kaufman