Media & Communications Law

TikTok asks SCOTUS to block law that would shut down app

TikTok has asked the Supreme Court to block a federal law that would shut down the wildly popular platform in the United States next month unless the company divests from Chinese ownership.

Dec 17, 2024 11:25 AM CST

Tween’s parents can’t sue video chat service for child porn and sex trafficking, 11th Circuit rules

Parents who alleged that their 11-year-old daughter was tricked and threatened into making child pornography can’t sue an online service that randomly places people into video chat rooms, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Dec 16, 2024 12:00 PM CST

Justice Department IG seeks new protections on seizing communications of lawmakers, journalists

The Justice Department during Donald Trump’s first presidential term used concerning and surreptitious tactics to obtain communications from members of Congress, their staffers and news reporters as prosecutors investigated public leaks of sensitive government information, according to a report released Tuesday by the Justice Department’s inspector general.

Dec 10, 2024 1:15 PM CST

Appeals court upholds nationwide TikTok ban-or-sale law

A Washington federal appeals court has turned away a challenge to a fast-approaching nationwide ban of short-video app TikTok unless it divests from Chinese ownership by Jan. 19, affirming the law as constitutional.

Dec 6, 2024 12:48 PM CST

In both criminal and civil litigation, emojis can be hard to interpret

Sometimes an eggplant is just an eggplant, but in the emoji world, it’s usually not. But is sending someone an eggplant emoji or a winky face proof of sexual harassment? When does a gun emoji mean someone is threatening another person with death? Does a thumbs-up emoji mean acceptance of a contract?

Dec 1, 2024 12:50 AM CST

DOJ seeks forced sale of Chrome, other big changes at Google in monopoly case

The Justice Department is seeking to force Google to sell off its Chrome browser and make other major changes to remedy its illegal search monopoly, prosecutors told a Washington court Wednesday, setting a marker in the landmark case before the incoming Trump administration makes its own determinations about how to proceed.

Nov 21, 2024 3:48 PM CST

How Nintendo’s IP lawyers are fighting back against ‘Pokémon With Guns’

Behind Nintendo Co.’s fierce protection of wide-ranging intellectual property is a legal team adept at weaponizing patents against potential rivals. Now those attorneys are setting their sights on a studio that’s risen to prominence with a game the industry has dubbed “Pokémon With Guns.”

Nov 15, 2024 10:30 AM CST

Trump picks Northern District of Texas for lawsuit over Harris’s CBS interview

Republican nominee Donald Trump sued CBS News on Thursday over an interview with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris that aired on its 60 Minutes program. The long-shot claim was filed in the Northern District of Texas courthouse where Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, a Trump nominee, is the sole judge.

Nov 1, 2024 10:50 AM CDT

Your lawsuit against X is required to be filed in Texas, according to new terms of service

Lawsuits filed against X, formerly known as Twitter, have to be filed in federal court for the Northern District of Texas or in state court in the state’s Tarrant County, according to the social media company’s new terms of service.

Oct 23, 2024 9:11 AM CDT

Judge tosses lawyer’s dueling lawsuit against Willkie partner in spat over New York Post story

A solo practitioner accused of facilitating a negative story about a BigLaw partner in the New York Post can’t sue for a declaratory judgment that his actions were protected by the First Amendment, a Connecticut judge has ruled.

Oct 1, 2024 10:54 AM CDT

5th Circuit becomes ‘proving ground’ for aggressive arguments by conservatives

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans has become "a proving ground for some of the most aggressive conservative arguments in American law,” according to the New York Times.

Sep 4, 2024 8:59 AM CDT

2nd Circuit cites push notifications to jurors as one reason why Sarah Palin deserves new defamation trial

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a Republican, is entitled to a new trial in her defamation case against the New York Times, partly because a jury finding of no liability was marred by push notifications received by jurors, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.

Aug 28, 2024 2:54 PM CDT

Former BigLaw partner settles defamation suit against social media influencer

A former Greenberg Traurig partner has reached a settlement with a social media influencer he accused of posting defamatory videos seeking to falsely depict the lawyer as an abusive husband and spouse.

Jul 8, 2024 1:22 PM CDT

Moons, Fire and Pigs: Emojis can be confusing in court

Sometimes an eggplant is just an eggplant, but in the emoji world, it’s usually not. But is sending someone an eggplant emoji or a winky face proof of sexual harassment? When does a gun emoji mean someone is threatening another person with death? Does a thumbs-up emoji mean acceptance of a contract? These are all questions presented in courtrooms across the country and the world.

Jul 2, 2024 3:06 PM CDT

States can’t regulate social media platforms to achieve ‘speech nirvana,’ Supreme Court says

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday favored the First Amendment rights of social media companies to moderate content in a decision that sent two cases back to lower courts for more analysis.

Jul 1, 2024 10:25 AM CDT