The Legal Challenges Of Social Media

Social media enables instant access to individual self-expression and the sharing of information. Social media issues are boundless, permeating distinct legal disciplines. The law has struggled to adapt and for good reason: how does the law regulate this medium over the public/private law divide? This book engages with the legal implications of social media from public and private law perspectives and outlines how the law, in various legal sub-disciplines and with varying success, has endeavoured to adapt existing tools to social media.

Legal Challenges in the New Digital Age addresses a wide range of legal issues related to emerging technologies. These technologies pose prominent legal challenges, in particular, how to wedge new phenomena into old frameworks; whether we can and should delegate responsibilities to technologies and how to cope with newly created powers of manipulation. Edited by Ana Mercedes Lopez Rodriguez, Michael D. Green and Maria Lubomira Kubica, the book’s sixteen chapters are written by highly qualified international practitioners and academics from different jurisdictions. Familiarity with the intricacies of emerging technologies is essential for judges, practitioners, legal staff, business people and scholars. This book’s combination of highly thought-provoking topics and in-depth analysis will prove indispensable to all interested parties.

With the emergence of social media comes both opportunity and legal risk for companies and consumers alike. The widespread use of social media sites for personal and business purposes has given rise to an array of legal issues, including violations of intellectual property law, privacy law, employment law, and criminal law. Wat are the benefits and legal ramifications of social media use? What should be considered before using social media services? How much control do employers have over what their employees post online? "Navigating the legal issues surrounding social media" provides feedback from some of today's leading legal minds on identifying and avoiding the legal risks that arise when using social media platforms. These experts address what should be taken into account by both businesses and individuals before using social media, and discuss strategies that can be used by hosting providers to limit liability. This report offers readers an on-the-spot look at these issues as they continue to unfold.

This groundbreaking book explores the new legal and economic challenges triggered by big data, and analyses the interactions among and between intellectual property, competition law, free speech, privacy and other fundamental rights vis-à-vis big data analysis and algorithms.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat allow users to connect with one another and share information with the click of a mouse or a tap on a touchscreen—and have become vital tools for professionals in the news and strategic communication fields. But as rapidly as these services have grown in popularity, their legal ramifications aren’t widely understood. To what extent do communicators put themselves at risk for defamation and privacy lawsuits when they use these tools, and what rights do communicators have when other users talk about them on social networks? How can an entity maintain control of intellectual property issues—such as posting copyrighted videos and photographs—consistent with the developing law in this area? How and when can journalists and publicists use these tools to do their jobs without endangering their employers or clients? Including two new chapters that examine First Amendment issues and ownership of social media accounts and content, Social Media and the Law brings together thirteen media law scholars to address these questions and more, including current issues like copyright, online impersonation, anonymity, cyberbullying, sexting, and live streaming. Students and professional communicators alike need to be aware of laws relating to defamation, privacy, intellectual property, and government regulation—and this guidebook is here to help them navigate the tricky legal terrain of social media.

Social Media and Electronic Commerce Law investigates the challenges facing legal practitioners and commercial parties in this dynamic field.

The plain-English business guide to avoiding social media legal risks and liabilities—for anyone using social media for business—written specifically for non-attorneys! You already know social media can help you find customers, strengthen relationships, and build your reputation, but if you are not careful, it also can expose your company to expensive legal issues and regulatory scrutiny. This insightful, first-of-its-kind book provides business professionals with strategies for navigating the unique legal risks arising from social, mobile, and online media. Distilling his knowledge into a 100% practical guide specifically for non-lawyers, author and seasoned business attorney, Robert McHale, steps out of the courtroom to review today’s U.S. laws related to social media and alert businesses to the common (and sometimes hidden) pitfalls to avoid. Best of all, McHale offers practical, actionable solutions, preventative measures, and valuable tips on shielding your business from social media legal exposures associated with employment screening, promotions, endorsements, user-generated content, trademarks, copyrights, privacy, security, defamation, and more... You’ll Learn How To • Craft legally compliant social media promotions, contests, sweepstakes, and advertising campaigns • Write effective social media policies and implement best practices for governance • Ensure the security of sensitive company and customer information • Properly monitor and regulate the way your employees use social media • Avoid high-profile social media mishaps that can instantly damage reputation, brand equity, and goodwill, and create massive potential liability • Avoid unintentional employment and labor law violations in the use of social media in pre-employment screening • Manage legal issues associated with game-based marketing, “virtual currencies,” and hyper-targeting • Manage the legal risks of user-generated content (UGC) • Protect your trademarks online, and overcome brandjacking and cybersquatting • Understand the e-discovery implications of social media in lawsuits

"Social media has become the online meeting place. People now communicate on an unparalleled scale. Covering 34 countries, this text provides a useful snapshot of the issues that permeate virtual life. This text will aid lawyers when looking for where to begin when faced with a problem in this fast moving arena." Stephen Mason, barrister, academic and author International Handbook of Social Media Laws is the only title currently available to address social networking laws at an international level. It clearly explains each of the main legal issues and developments across various legal jurisdictions to ensure that a company's social media presence can be fully compliant with the law of each country. It covers all aspects of the law from a UK and international perspective by offering country report chapters that highlight the legal issues, cases and rules in each jurisdiction. Reviews “I was simply riveted ... [expert contributors] of a very high order indeed ... so much more than a worthy compendium of SM laws and cases. It simply brings the whole subject alive ... [it] not merely describes what is going on. It makes you think. That is why this book is so valuable ...” The Rt. Hon. Professor Sir Robin Jacob. Foreword. “Social media has become the online meeting place. People now communicate on an unparalleled scale. Covering 34 countries, this text provides a useful snapshot of the issues that permeate virtual life. This text will aid the lawyer, student, journalist and others when looking for where to begin when faced with a problem in this fast moving arena.” Stephen Mason. Barrister, International expert and author on electronic evidence and electronic signatures. “In one wide-ranging volume, Lambert and the country reporters demonstrate that law can not only keep up with technological change, but can in fact stay well ahead by anticipating upcoming questions. This comprehensive comparative reference will be invaluable for lawyers and students serious about the widespread legal impact of social software, and the myriad ways in which different legal regimes react to these new and growing challenges.” Professor Joshua Fairfield. Washington and Lee University School of Law. The Internet offers amazing and at times bewildering choices, especially when it comes to online social media. This volume is your guiding star, shedding expert light not only on the legal perspectives of issues cropping up, but also on what we can expect the future to hold. An essential work for everyone in the field! Viktor Mayer-Schönberger. Professor Oxford Internet Institute, internet and law expert, author of the bestselling book Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age.