On Friday, February 11, 2011 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (“FPRI”), Lawrence Husick will be presenting on the subject of “Understanding Cyberspace as a Battlefield.” The FPRI describes Lawrence’s presentation as follows: Cyberwar, as Richard Clarke recently explained to FPRI’s members, is the next great threat to national […]
Internet Law
Keeping it Private in the Work Place
September 30, 2010
Internet Law
Have you ever wondered about the privacy of your web-based e-mail communications, e.g., Hotmail, Yahoo, or Gmail, as you carry out your personal business on your company-owned computer? A March 2010 decision by the Supreme Court of New Jersey sheds some light on the subject. In Stengart vs. Loving Care Agency, Inc., Marina Stengart used […]
The End of an Internet Monopoly?
August 27, 2010
Internet Law
Not many know that only one company located within the United States controls the registries of all .com and .net domain names in the world. That company is VeriSign, Inc., a Delaware corporation located in Silicon Valley. VeriSign, through its contractual relationship with Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), has been the sole […]
One of the illusory advantages of conducting business offshore (in a location outside of the United States) is to protect the business from the reach of the U.S. judicial and alternative dispute resolution systems. Contrary to belief, if you operate an offshore website that attracts U.S. visitors through, for example, online sales of products or […]
The United States Supreme Court Sends a Message
June 28, 2010
Internet Law
An employer’s right to monitor employees’ electronic communications in the workplace is fairly well settled, particularly when the employer provides its employees with the equipment and has express policies on computer and Internet usage. In City of Ontario v. Quon, the United States Supreme Court has finally added to the growing body of law on […]
Expanding cyberspace beyond “.com”…
April 28, 2010
Internet Law
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”) has proposed a program to introduce new top level domains (“TLDs”), which it states “will bring about the biggest change in the Internet since its inception nearly 40 years ago.” Presently, there are approximately 21 functioning TLDs and 250 country code extensions. In June 2008, the […]
Trademark Rights: Changes in the Law
March 31, 2010
Internet Law, Trademark
Trademark Rights: Changes in the Law Cease & Desist Receiving a cease and desist (“C&D”) letter demanding that you immediately cease using a trademark or face potential litigation may be bewildering (even frightening). C&D letters typically request the recipient to transfer a domain name and stop infringing another’s trademark. Because it may be the “first […]
On December 1, 2010, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) promulgated new guidelines governing endorsements and testimonials. Although the guidelines — being just “guidelines” — do not have the force of law, they do provide insight on how the FTC will interpret the law. The guidelines cover endorsements by bloggers, consumers, experts, and organizations. Let’s look […]
What’s in a Name? Choosing a domain name can be tricky business
November 26, 2009
Internet Law, Trademark
Today, a presence on the Internet is a vital part of business marketing and sales. That presence is typically represented by the existence of a web site hosted on a particular domain name. A domain name is the portal to your business and is an important part of the overall marketing process. Picking a domain […]
Linking May be Dangerous to Your Health
March 18, 2009
Internet Law, Trademark
In our Internet-enabled world, businesses that do not operate their own web site are the exception, not the rule. Web site owners constantly strive to create dynamic, interesting content. Sometimes, the courts rule they have gone too far even when the legal ice is very thin. Slate, the online daily, recently reported the following. A […]