Media & Communications Law

Europe’s top court rules ‘right to be forgotten’ doesn’t apply to internet search results worldwide

The European Union’s top court ruled Tuesday that Google and other search engines are not obligated to delete links to websites and databases worldwide under a “right to be forgotten” privacy rule. The European Court of Justice said the rule applied only within the 28 nations that are part of…

Sep 26, 2019 11:22 AM CDT

2nd Circuit reinstates Sarah Palin’s defamation suit against the New York Times

A federal appeals court has ruled that a federal judge followed the wrong procedure when he dismissed a defamation suit filed against the New York Times by former vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New York reinstated Palin’s suit Tuesday…

Aug 7, 2019 11:05 AM CDT

5 female anchors sue TV station for alleged age and gender discrimination

Five female anchors at TV station NY1 with more than 100 years of collective experience allege in a lawsuit that station owner Charter Communications “blatantly marginalized them and cast them aside in favor of younger women and men.” The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, alleges age and gender…

Jun 20, 2019 10:55 AM CDT

Kavanaugh decision rejects First Amendment claim against public access channel

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Monday against two producers who argued that a public access TV channel violated their First Amendment rights when it stopped airing their video. Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote the majority opinion. He was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Clarence…

Jun 17, 2019 3:15 PM CDT

Search engines not liable for translating sham addresses into map pinpoints, opinion says

A federal appeals court has ruled that federal law protects online search engines from liability when they translate information from sham websites into pinpoints on a map. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that Google, Microsoft and Yahoo were protected by Section 230 of…

Jun 12, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

Facebook plans to create a judicial-like body to address controversial speech

An independent body would hear appeals of content decisions by Facebook, either removing or leaving up posts, and its decisions would be binding.

May 1, 2019 12:45 AM CDT

Plaintiffs seeking to hold social media liable for Pulse nightclub attack lose in 6th Circuit

A federal appeals court upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to hold Twitter, Facebook and Google liable for the Pulse nightclub attacks by a gunman who killed 49 people. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Cincinnati said the plaintiffs had failed to allege any direct…

Apr 17, 2019 11:32 AM CDT

Beating the odds, lawyer mentors at-risk youth

Charla Claypool, a member of the litigation department of Lewis Rice in St. Louis, notes her work mentoring and guiding youth, especially at-risk young women.

Apr 1, 2019 1:50 AM CDT

Google Plus’ shutdown brings up ethical, legal questions about companies’ data retention obligations

Data stored in Google’s failed social network raises retention issues, not only for litigation purposes, but also for business continuity. Technologists and attorneys recommend data archival and contractual strategies to avoid losing important data.

Apr 1, 2019 1:10 AM CDT

Catch and Kill: Can tabloids hide behind the First Amendment?

Buying a story specifically to suppress it is known in the tabloid world as “catch and kill.” Should it be protected action under the First Amendment?

Apr 1, 2019 12:10 AM CDT

Social Clashes: Digital free speech is a hot legal battleground

Social media litigation raises serious concerns about the future of free speech, including attempts at censorship by government actors critical of comments on social media, the shifting standards of private platforms to censor online expression and the rise of hate and extremist speech in the digital world.

Apr 1, 2019 12:05 AM CDT

Traumatized crime and courts reporter entitled to damages, Australian court says

An Australian court has awarded about $127,000 in U.S. currency ($180,000 in Australian currency) to a former journalist for a Melbourne newspaper for the psychological injury she suffered while covering crime and courts for a decade. The County Court of Victoria ruled on Feb. 22 in a case by a…

Mar 11, 2019 11:16 AM CDT

Federal judge tosses prof’s libel suit against New York Times, laments ‘fake news’ attacks on media

A University of Florida professor’s emails are public records that trigger the state’s fair reports privilege, a federal judge has ruled in tossing a libel case against the New York Times. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker of the Northern District of Florida ruled Wednesday against University of Florida horticulture professor…

Mar 1, 2019 9:37 AM CST

Is a tweeted question defamatory? 6th Circuit rules for James Woods over Nazi salute tweet

A question mark at the end of a tweet by actor James Woods gave him protection in a defamation suit by a Bernie Sanders supporter. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that Woods’ tweeted question—which asked whether the plaintiff gave the Nazi salute at a Trump…

Feb 28, 2019 11:55 AM CST

Judge and her husband lose libel appeal over parking spot article

A lawyer and his wife, a judge in New York City, can’t pursue a libel suit against the publisher of the New York Post and two other defendants, according to a New York appeals court. The Appellate Division’s Second Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court ruled against…

Feb 27, 2019 4:16 PM CST