Media & Communications Law

Supreme Court will consider social media liability for terrorist attacks

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear two cases that consider the liability of social media companies for content that relays terrorist propaganda and builds support for terrorist groups.

Oct 4, 2022 8:52 AM CDT

The metaverse and Web3 are all the rage, but the law is stuck at Web1

The metaverse and Web3, including virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens and more, are evolving to become another Wild West technology frontier where existing laws are hard to apply, legal experts say.

Oct 1, 2022 2:10 AM CDT

Judge criticizes Gibson Dunn and Facebook for alleged effort to ‘obstruct and delay’ discovery

A federal judge wants additional briefing on the type of sanctions that he could consider against Facebook and its law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in multidistrict litigation alleging privacy violations by the social media platform.

Sep 19, 2022 2:50 PM CDT

Texas may enforce law banning social media from blocking users based on viewpoints, 5th Circuit says

A federal appeals court on Friday allowed Texas to enforce a law that generally bans large social media companies from restricting posts based on the viewpoint of the speaker.

Sep 19, 2022 10:39 AM CDT

Lawsuits against social media companies use product-liability theory to sidestep immunity law

Social media companies should be liable under product-liability law for designing their products in a way that addicts their users and causes other harms, according to a growing number of lawsuits.

Jul 18, 2022 8:41 AM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Woman claims fetus is a passenger; recording police is protected, appeals court says

Woman says unborn baby counts for carpool lane A Plano, Texas, woman contends she shouldn’t be ticketed for driving in the carpool lane because she is pregnant and her unborn baby counts as a passenger. The woman, Brandy Bottone, has a July 20 court date. She was ticketed after the…

Jul 15, 2022 2:30 PM CDT

Waiver agreement bars ex-Chief Justice Roy Moore’s defamation suit against comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, 2nd Circuit says

A federal appeals court has refused to revive a lawsuit filed by former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and his wife against a comedian who claimed to be an Israeli anti-terrorism expert with a device able to detect pedophiles.

Jul 8, 2022 2:59 PM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Jan. 6 panel subpoenas ex-White House counsel; former Judge Alex Kozinski represents Trump

Ex-White House counsel subpoenaed by Jan. 6 panel Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone has been subpoenaed to testify before the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. The subpoena follows testimony by former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson claiming that Cipollone had warned of being…

Jul 8, 2022 11:32 AM CDT

Judge limits Meta’s refiled brief to 5 footnotes after complaining of local rule violation

Lawyers from Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick have refiled a brief with zero footnotes after a federal judge tossed a prior version for violating a local court rule.

Jul 5, 2022 12:12 PM CDT

Kagan and 3 conservative justices dissent as Supreme Court blocks Texas restrictions on social media

The U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 on Tuesday to temporarily block a Texas law that bans large social media companies from restricting posts based on viewpoint.

Jun 1, 2022 10:29 AM CDT

Weekly Briefs: SCOTUS approval rating plummets; Trumps lose deposition appeal

SCOTUS approval rating drops 10 percentage points Only 44% of the public approves of the way that the U.S. Supreme Court is handling its job, according to a Marquette University Law School poll. The survey was conducted soon after the leak of a draft opinion overturning the right to abortion.…

May 27, 2022 1:44 PM CDT

Florida law banning social media censorship is likely unconstitutional, 11th Circuit says

A federal appeals court on Monday blocked parts of a Florida law that prevent social media companies from banning political candidates, deprioritizing political messages or censoring content by journalistic enterprises.

May 24, 2022 8:55 AM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Judge lifts Trump sanction, for now; $997M settlement offered in condo collapse

Judge willing to accept $110K, cooperation to end Trump sanction A trial-level judge in New York lifted a $10,000 daily civil contempt sanction against former President Donald Trump on Wednesday. But Judge Arthur Engoron warned that the sanction could be reinstated if Trump doesn’t pay $110,000 in accumulated fines and…

May 13, 2022 2:37 PM CDT

Texas law banning censoring of social media users for viewpoints can take effect, 5th Circuit says

A federal appeals court has allowed a Texas law to take effect that prohibits larger social media platforms from censoring users based on their political views.

May 13, 2022 9:06 AM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Coca-Cola ex-GC’s $12M deal criticized; DOJ mostly loses first of six wage-collusion cases

Coca-Cola’s $12M deal with former GC is criticized Proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis & Co. is advising shareholders to vote against Coca-Cola’s executive compensation plan because of the beverage company’s $12 million consulting agreement with its former general counsel, Bradley Gayton. The report said the “outsized payments” could be indicative…

Apr 15, 2022 1:34 PM CDT