Socially Aware

June 29, 2023 - Digital Content, Social Media Policy, Influencer Marketing, Online Promotions
Social Links: Social Media Account Ownership Once Again in the Spotlight
By: Aaron P. Rubin, Anthony M. Ramirez, Julie O'Neill and Heather M. Whitney
Social media continues to dominate the headlines this spring, with several high-profile events capturing the media’s, regulators’, and lawmakers’ attention. Jack Owoc, founder and former CEO of Bang Energy (“Bang,” a performance energy beverage), claimed that he retained the rights to control Bang’s social
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October 19, 2020 - Advertising, FCC, Influencer Marketing, Discovery, Free Speech
Turkey’s new social media law; social media ad spend; Harvard Law School’s social media policy
By: Anthony M. Ramirez
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
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May 08, 2020 - European Union, Influencer Marketing, Cyberbullying
Social Links: Online censorship in China; Florida legislation to thwart gang activity online; influencers criticized for breaking quarantine rules
By: Aaron P. Rubin
China’s “internet police,” who coordinate online censorship, have become especially busy since the coronavirus outbreak. Inspired by homicides that were precipitated by social media posts created by one group of teenagers to incite another, a Florida bill would allow law enforcement to charge juveniles
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January 13, 2020 - Advertising, Influencer Marketing, Defamation, Section 230 Safe Harbor, COPPA
Social Links: YouTube bans some targeted ads; big changes afoot on Twitter; Facebook plans to remove ‘deep fakes’
By: Aaron P. Rubin
In a move that might be part of a settlement that YouTube has entered into with the Federal Trade Commission , the video-sharing site said it will ban “targeted” advertisements on videos likely to be watched by children. Because targeted ads rely on information
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November 26, 2019 - Influencer Marketing, Cyberbullying, Online Reviews, Cybersecurity
Social Links: FTC fights fraudulent online product reviews; Twitter takes another swipe at trolls; Influencers affect everything from cybersecurity to career choices
By: Aaron P. Rubin
The high-end skincare brand Sunday Riley has settled lawsuits filed by the Federal Trade Commission claiming that the brand’s founder encouraged employees of her eponymous company to set up accounts “under different identities” on the cosmetics retail site Sephora.com and leave positive reviews for
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November 20, 2019 - FTC, Influencer Marketing
Influencing the Influencers: FTC Staff Release “Disclosures 101” Guidance for Online Endorsers
By: Julie O'Neill
The Federal Trade Commission is trying yet another approach to convey the message that the relationship between a social media “influencer” and the brand he or she is endorsing must be disclosed. This new guidance from FTC staff takes the form of a brochure
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October 07, 2019 - First Amendment, Artificial Intelligence, FTC, Influencer Marketing, Fraud, Free Speech
A dating platform’s alleged fraud; a decline in the popularity of popularity metrics; TikTok’s unique AI
By: Aaron P. Rubin
Singapore has enacted a law granting government ministers the power to require social media platforms to completely remove or place warnings alongside posts the authorities designate as false. Unlike the compensation earned by child stars who perform on television, in films, or on other
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April 16, 2019 - Advertising, First Amendment, European Union, Influencer Marketing, Copyright, Free Speech, Compliance, Litigation
Social Links: An EU law to protect copyright owners online; collecting biometric data without running afoul of the law; influencers’ attempts to appear more authentic
By: Anthony M. Ramirez
A new law in Australia makes a social media company’s failure to remove “abhorrent violent material” from its platform punishable by significant fines. The law also states that the executives at social media companies who fail to remove the content could be sentenced to
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March 06, 2018 - Endorsement Guides, FTC, Influencer Marketing
The FTC’s Quest for Better Influencer Disclosures
By: Julie O'Neill
In the last few years, as advertising has followed consumers from legacy media such as television to online video and social media platforms, the Federal Trade Commission has been attempting to ensure that participants in this new advertising ecosystem understand the importance of complying
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January 29, 2018 - Blockchain, DMCA, Influencer Marketing, Stored Communications Act, Cybersecurity, Compliance
2017: Our Greatest Hits
By: Aaron P. Rubin
Last year we covered a wide range of online legal and business subjects intended for readers ranging from Internet entrepreneurs to social media marketers, from online shoppers to e-tailers, from networkers to influencers (and the brands that pay them). The topics of our blog
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Topic Archives: Influencer Marketing

Social Links: Social Media Account Ownership Once Again in the Spotlight

By: Aaron P. Rubin, Anthony M. Ramirez, Julie O'Neill and Heather M. Whitney

Turkey’s new social media law; social media ad spend; Harvard Law School’s social media policy

By: Anthony M. Ramirez

Social Links: Online censorship in China; Florida legislation to thwart gang activity online; influencers criticized for breaking quarantine rules

By: Aaron P. Rubin

Social Links: YouTube bans some targeted ads; big changes afoot on Twitter; Facebook plans to remove ‘deep fakes’

By: Aaron P. Rubin

Social Links: FTC fights fraudulent online product reviews; Twitter takes another swipe at trolls; Influencers affect everything from cybersecurity to career choices

By: Aaron P. Rubin

Influencing the Influencers: FTC Staff Release “Disclosures 101” Guidance for Online Endorsers

By: Julie O'Neill

A dating platform’s alleged fraud; a decline in the popularity of popularity metrics; TikTok’s unique AI

By: Aaron P. Rubin

Social Links: An EU law to protect copyright owners online; collecting biometric data without running afoul of the law; influencers’ attempts to appear more authentic

By: Anthony M. Ramirez

The FTC’s Quest for Better Influencer Disclosures

By: Julie O'Neill

2017: Our Greatest Hits

By: Aaron P. Rubin