Social Media and the Law - by Tom Cowling
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Swan Turton Swan Turton iCrossing, Brighton SOCIAL MEDIA & THE LAW 21 April 2010 Tom Cowling Tel: 020 7520 9561 Email: [email protected] 68a Neal Street, London WC2H 9PA
description
Social Media Law: Branded content, conversations and the new responsibilities of marketers online Brands are becoming publishers, participants and distributors on the social web. What do they need to bear in mind from a legal perspective? In partnership with Wired Sussex.
Transcript of Social Media and the Law - by Tom Cowling
Swan TurtonSwan TurtoniCrossing, Brighton
SOCIAL MEDIA & THE LAW
21 April 2010
Tom CowlingTel: 020 7520 9561
Email: [email protected] Neal Street, London
WC2H 9PA
Lawyers are human too!
The Law & Social Media
• Complex, dangerous environment
• Broad legal rights and obligations
• Traps & pitfalls
• Invest in knowledge & understanding:• Cohesive image and brand enhancement• Reduced exposure• Harness the power of Social Media
• Competitive advantage
The Law & Social Media
• Some useful resources:• www.ipo.gov.uk• www.own-it.org• www.wipo.org• http://www.creativecommons.org.uk/• http://www.ico.gov.uk/• http://asa.org.uk/
The Law and Social Media
• 4 sections:• Contractual Rights• Laws and regulations• Third party rights• Conclusion
Contractual Rights
• “Not tonight son…!”
Contractual Rights
• Prominence & accessibility• Home page & other• Plain English
• Dovetail where appropriate
• 3 main documents:• T&C’s• Privacy Policy• Disclaimer
T&C’s
T&C’s
• Identity & contact details
• Participation conditional on acceptance
• Eligibility (eg 18+)
• Term
• Registration
• Acceptable use
• Right to suspend or terminate
• Jurisdiction
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
• Date of Policy
• Identify yourself as the Data Controller
• Scope & nature of information
• How is the information dealt with:• Published• Moved abroad/outside of EU• Sold to third parties
• Users’ use and access rights
Disclaimers
Disclaimers:
• Because shit happens…
• Part of T&C’s or, better, keep separate
• Damage limitation you won’t regret
• Exclude eg loss of profit, damage to reputation
• Indemnity from user (better than nothing)
Laws & Regulations
• Data Protection Act
• Gambling Act 2005
• Protection from Harassment Act 1997
• Racial, sexual and age discrimination legislation
• Obscenity Publications Act 1959• “…obscene if it is intended to corrupt or
deprave persons exposed to it”
Laws & Regulations• The Terrorism Acts 2000 & 2006
• Money Laundering Regulations
• CAP Codes & the ASA• Transparency and Honesty• Careful with trans-national campaigns
• Consumer Protection from Unfair Commercial Practices Regulations 2008 (CPR’s)
• Contempt of Court
Third Party Rights
Copyright
Copyright• No Registration• Originality and degree of skill, labour or judgment• No copyright in an idea only in the expression of
that idea• Internet ≠ copyright free!• Life of author plus 70 years for most works• Owned by creator of the work (except employees
in the normal course of their employment duties)• Restricted acts = copying of the whole or any
substantial part of a work
Copyright
Copyright
Trade Marks
GOONER
Trade Marks• Registration required• 45 classes of goods & services• Infringement but:
• not when used to identify goods etc• Comparative advertising
• Use of ® or ™ symbol• False endorsement / Passing-off
Defamation
• Words which “lower the plaintiff in the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally”
• Libel v slander
• The rule against repetition
• Godfrey v Demon Internet 1999
• Jurisdictional exposure
• Complaints & take-down procedures
Conclusion
• Look before you leap:
Conclusion
• Invest in:• Good, robust contractual protection• Knowledge & understanding of threats
• Know what’s on your and your employees’ platforms
• Implement take-down policies
• Impose sanctions for breaches
TOM COWLING
Tel: 020 7520 9561Email: [email protected]
68a Neal StreetLondon
WC2H 9PA
LinkedIn: ww.linkedin.com/in/tomcowling
