Month: May 2016

Internet Governance

One Low Price:  In addition to proposals relating to online video streaming services and potential unfair practices in web platforms’ terms of use, the European Commission put forward a rule to prohibit “geoblocking” by internet retailers in Europe, a practice which allows online sellers to charge different prices for the same product in different E.U. Member States.

“.@FordhamCLIP” No More:  In an effort to simplify the social network and attract new users, Twitter has changed several peculiarities of tweeting, including new exemptions from the 140-character limit and altered default rules for recipient audiences.

Password Prohibition:  The freedom to use “Password123” as your password on Microsoft platforms is no longer permitted; in addition to character length and sophistication requirements, the company will also prevent users from choosing any password contained on a recurrently updated list derived from cyber leaks.

Privacy

Launch Pad For Mainstream:  Best practices for commercial, individual and journalistic uses of unmanned aircraft systems were promulgated by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; companies should provide advance notices, drones should not be used for employment or health care coverage information gathering, and news media should utilize drones in accordance with laws and their own codes of ethics.

Information Security And Cyberthreats

Good As New?  A new GAO report describes the condition of United States government IT systems and equipment; noting that a Department of Defense nuclear system is using an IBM Series 1 computer and eight-inch floppy disks, lawmakers push for modernization and investment in upgrades.

Free Expression

Higher Learning:  To disseminate information to the North Korean people more effectively and precisely than previous methods to do so, including with air balloons and human smugglers, activists are now distributing SD cards and USB drives containing entertainment and informational content with helicopter drones.

Practice Note

DTSA Deployment:  Employers are required to include a notice that the new Defend Trade Secrets Act gives certain immunities to whistle blowers “in any contract or agreement with an employee that governs the use of a trade secret or other confidential information.”

On The Lighter Side

Capitalized Or Not?  CLIP-ings will evolve with “The Times” on this grammatical issue often debated among our editorial staff.

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Joel R. Reidenberg
Stanley D. and Nikki Waxberg Chair and Professor of Law and Founding Academic Director, CLIP

N. Cameron Russell
Executive Director, Fordham CLIP

Internet Governance

Optimizing Self:  The European Commission reportedly may fine Google three billion Euros, nearly three times the Commission’s largest fine yet, for Google allegedly favoring its shopping services over the competition in its search results.

Privacy

Spies Disguised As Spies:  A Philadelphia Police Department SUV, armed with automatic license plate readers capable of collecting thousands of license plate images per minute, was masqueraded as a Google Maps vehicle.

Punt Return:  Opening the door for recognition of intangible non-economic privacy harms, the Supreme Court remanded Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins back to the Ninth Circuit to reconsider whether inaccuracies in Mr. Robins’ personal data profile were “concrete” injuries to merit statutory damages under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Information Security And Cyberthreats

For Sale:  A posting on the dark web offers user IDs, email addresses and SHA1 hashes – “unique, verifiable cryptographic representations” of users’ passwords – for over 167 million LinkedIn users; it is believed that the data derives from a 2012 hack previously purported to have only affected 6.5 million.

Build A Cyber Wall:  Director of National Intelligence James Clapper cautioned that the Presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump may be special targets for foreign hackers.

Forty-hour Hack-week:  A “professional hacking group with a specific mandate,” linked to network infiltrations in South Korea and Saudi Arabia, is systematically targeting key government and private sector organizations in India; interestingly, the Indian hacks only take place during a Monday through Friday workweek.

Intellectual Property

Prepare For The Worst:  As technology improves and self-driving automobiles enter the mainstream, Google was granted a patent for a car hood with an adhesive coating that can protect pedestrians struck by autonomous vehicles from “secondary impact” injuries.

Free Expression

Examination Nation:  The Iraqi government shut down Internet access for everyone in all provinces under its control during three different three-hour time periods, when students were taking exams, in order to prevent web-enabled cheating.

On The Lighter Side

Virtual Office Hours:  “…I wanted to nominate Jill Watson as an outstanding TA in the [Computer Information and Office Systems] survey [course]!”

 

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Joel R. Reidenberg
Stanley D. and Nikki Waxberg Chair and Professor of Law and Founding Academic Director, CLIP

N. Cameron Russell
Executive Director, Fordham CLIP