Iranian authorities are facing sharp criticism from international human rights organizations for their handling of recent protests and the implementation of severe penalties, which are said to contravene international law. A joint report by Human Rights Watch and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran highlights the systematic execution of at least 59…
The United Nations has raised alarms over a proposed Iranian legislative measure that could impose severe penalties, including up to 30 years of imprisonment, for citizens communicating with foreign entities. The draft, known as the “Countering Foreign Infiltration” bill, has been described as a considerable threat to civil liberties, with potential long-term impacts on Iranian…
UNICEF recently revealed alarming statistics: nearly one in five internet-using children aged 12 to 17 across 21 countries experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse within a year. An estimated 20 million children faced at least one form of abuse, highlighting a stark gap in enforcement as less than one percent of these cases were reported…
A New York City law firm has recently been mandated to disclose its internet security protocols and login details following a breach that left a homebuyer in distress. This disclosure comes amidst allegations that a cybercriminal exploited the attorney’s email vulnerability, misleading the client into transferring over $730,000. The legal implications of this incident highlight…
The recent decision by the Fifth Circuit to overturn a 2007 copyright precedent has triggered discussions across the legal landscape, potentially affecting entities engaged in embedding third-party content. The court’s ruling moves away from the “server test,” which had previously guided decisions on whether embedding infringed copyrights. This test provided a relatively permissive framework, allowing…
In a strategic move that underscores its commitment to bolstering its intellectual property capabilities, Ashurst Perkins Coie has welcomed a prominent former partner from Dentons into its New York office. The addition strengthens the firm’s trademark, copyright, internet, and advertising practice within the IP division, aligning with the firm’s vision to enhance its prowess in…
Meta Platforms Inc. is seeking dismissal of a lawsuit brought by an Australian doctor, arguing that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields it from liability. The doctor claims that Meta’s advertising tools misused his name and likeness to endorse fraudulent activities. Meta contends in a California federal court that its tools did not…
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the use of image search technology is stirring fresh debates around copyright law, compelling companies and legal experts to navigate a complex terrain. A case involving Pool World, a retailer of pools, spas, and grills, has underscored the contentious issues at play when images found across the internet are…
Duquesne University’s Kline School of Law has embarked on an initiative to enhance its legal curriculum by integrating real-world applications of artificial intelligence (AI). Faculty and staff have been actively engaging with various law firms, examining how AI is being utilized in the legal profession to streamline operations and improve decision-making processes. This collaboration aims…
The rise in anti-migrant violence and xenophobic attacks in South Africa has drawn significant concern from the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The alarming trend, highlighted by the committee, includes a disturbing range of incidents targeting migrants, such as killings, abductions, and unlawful evictions, which contravene the International Convention on the…
In a recent legal confrontation, education technology company Chegg Inc. has raised concerns about Google’s strategies in the ongoing competition over artificial intelligence. As reported during a court hearing in Washington D.C., Chegg’s legal representative accused Google of potentially sacrificing web traffic and the broader internet ecosystem to secure an upper hand in the AI…
Amnesty International recently highlighted a pressing issue: the deficiency of youthful perspectives in crafting digital rights policies for children. The organization’s report draws attention to the increasing threats posed by Big Tech to children’s online safety, which remain unaddressed due to their exclusion from policymaking. The expansive surveillance and data tracking mechanisms used by government…
WikiHow has initiated legal action against OpenAI, claiming that the company has been using its copyrighted how-to articles to train ChatGPT, leading to the generation of similar or nearly identical content. The case has been brought to a New York federal court, with WikiHow asserting that the model reproduces its distinctive instructional articles verbatim. This…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently reached a settlement with Zillow and Redfin, averting a trial that was poised to address significant antitrust concerns. This legal confrontation stemmed from a $100 million agreement between the two companies, which the FTC argued breached antitrust laws, specifically the Sherman and Clayton Acts. The FTC contended that this…
Dish Technologies LLC and Sling TV LLC have filed a lawsuit against Gaia Inc., a streaming company based in Colorado, citing infringement of five patents related to content streaming. The lawsuit, filed in a Colorado federal court, alleges that Gaia’s streaming services infringe on proprietary technologies designed to adapt streaming based on users’ bandwidth availability….
This week, the recognition of Eversheds Sutherland, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, and McDermott Will & Schulte as Law360’s Legal Lions highlights a significant triumph for these firms, as reported here. Maryland’s tax court struck down the state’s groundbreaking digital advertising tax, ruling that it contravenes the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act. This decision represents…
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken a decisive step by eliminating the gigabit speed goal implemented during the prior administration, a move that reshapes the landscape of broadband deployment objectives in the United States. This change was solidified in the FCC’s latest report, which indicated that the pursuit of gigabit speeds was previously deemed…
In a significant legal confrontation, Disney, Warner Bros., and NBCUniversal have collectively urged a federal court in California to dismiss Midjourney’s request to narrow the scope of a copyright dispute. This action reflects the firms’ assertion that Midjourney, an artificial intelligence company, is misinterpreting a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision which concerned secondary copyright liability…
The ongoing legal battle involving Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has reached a critical juncture as a United States appeals court has ruled that a colossal $1.4 trillion lawsuit will proceed to trial. This lawsuit, led by the California attorney general alongside other state attorneys general, accuses Meta of contributing…
In a recent decision, the Federal Circuit upheld a ruling by a California federal court that invalidated patents related to digital interactive charts, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International ruling. This decision reiterates the courts’ position that patents must include more than abstract ideas to be considered valid. The court…
In a decisive move, a federal judge has allowed Reddit’s legal battle over Google search results to proceed, maintaining focus on the intricacies of digital copyright law. This ongoing dispute involves the web scraping company SerpApi, which is alleged to have conspired with Perplexity AI to unlawfully extract copyrighted Reddit content from Google’s search results….
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has brought formal charges against Pavel Durov, the founder of the widely used messaging platform Telegram, accusing him of aiding terrorism. This development places Durov, now a French and Emirati citizen residing in Dubai, on an international wanted list and underscores the escalating tension between the Russian state and digital…
In a recent legal confrontation, Google and Reddit have found themselves defending their stance on internet content scraping, following a court decision that favored the web scraping entity, SerpApi. This legal challenge, initiated by Google, centered around the argument that SerpApi was bypassing the company’s anti-scraping measures and distributing search result content through an unauthorized…
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted SpaceX’s Starlink routers a conditional exemption from the recent ban on foreign-made consumer-grade routers. This exemption, effective until February 1, 2028, allows SpaceX to continue deploying its Starlink routers, which are integral to its satellite internet service. In March 2026, the FCC expanded its Covered List to include…
NASCAR has initiated a legal offensive to combat what it describes as an overwhelming issue of counterfeit merchandise. On Monday, the organization filed a federal lawsuit in North Carolina targeting an alleged network of foreign retailers. These entities are accused of distributing counterfeit NASCAR clothing and collectibles through online marketplaces, social media, and search engines…