Are you getting a sense of déjà vu just reading the headline? Maybe that’s because of this story we blogged about previously. Or even this one — which we dealt with twice! Well, our current story of flipping the bird does not involve a religious sermon or the...
Media Law
A Battle Between Human Rights: The Right to Be Forgotten v. The Right to Know and Be Known
As we barrel headlong through the digital age, we are forced to confront new challenges to freedom of speech, privacy, and open government. The European Union recently blazed its own trail on these issues, giving those of us in North America a chance to see how their...
It’s Your First Amendment Right to Follow Elected Officials on Social Media, Rules Virginia Court
The Obama era was the first time that social media was truly recognized by elected officials as an effective tool for communicating directly with the public. Because it’s relatively new on the political scene, there are not many precedents set for how social media can...
Broadcasters: How to Protect Yourself from Photo Lawsuits
By Edward L. Birk and Crystal T. Broughan In a recent post, we wrote about the fast-paced world of broadcasting, made even faster by the Internet age, and how this has led to the temptation of pulling imagery from websites without confirming copyright and securing...
Social Media Photo Copyright: Apart from Selfies, Who Can Give Permission for Reuse Is Not Always Clear
By Crystal T. Broughan and Edward L. Birk As fast-paced as the internet has made the transmission of news and information, it can be tempting for media outlets and bloggers to grab the first eye-catching image relevant to a story. But any trusted intellectual property...
Can a Court Squelch Public Statements by a Criminal Defendant Before Conviction?
Long-time Republican political operative, staunch Trump supporter, and self-described “dirty trickster” Roger Stone has never been one to hold his tongue in the face of controversy. Even in the wake of criminal indictment on five counts of making false statements, one...
California Court Rules Social Media Posts Are Not Always a First Amendment Right
We have a Constitutional right to express ourselves on social media, right? Social media is the new public square, a traditional public forum, right? Not so fast… Generally true. But there are narrow situations where a court may lawfully restrict social media use. A...
Attorney Giselle Carson Appears on WJXT’s Morning Show
Giselle Carson appearing on WJXT News4Jax On Sunday, January 13th Giselle Carson appeared on WJXT’s Morning Show in a segment titled, The Year of the Women in Politics. Giselle shared her insight on the impact women have in politics. She also discussed two local...