In 1998, Representative Christopher Cox and Senator Ron Wyden authored the Internet Tax Freedom Act (“the Act”). The purpose of the Act was to promote the commercial, educational, and informational potential of the Internet, without burdening its usage with customary taxes. The Act bars federal, state, and local governments from taxing Internet access and from …
On Monday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) enacted a formal regulation prohibiting the imposition of discriminatory tariffs by data service providers. Although the regulations apply to all Indian telecom service providers, the ruling is widely seen as a response to Facebook’s “Free Basics” program. This program allows users in developing countries free access …
At the most recent meeting of the ABA’s House of Delegates several interesting proposals were discussed, including a resolution urging the United States to record its oral arguments and to make the videotapes available to the public. However, this was far from the most controversial item on the ABA’s agenda. Resolution 105, which was adopted …
Recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill entitled the Native American Energy Act. The Bill seeks, inter alia, to remove government regulations from the development of energy resources on Native American reservations. Its primary impact will be to remove the Bureau of Land Management’s new regulations on fracking. The Bill came up for vote …
Permission is required when a living human being’s likeness is used in a video game. But is permission from that person’s tattoo artist or a company claiming to have purchased the copyright for the tattoo design, required to digitally recreate the tattoo? Solid Oak Sketches LLC (“Solid Oak”), a Delaware-based tattoo company, is suing Take-Two …
Imagine if you had a great idea for a new bicycle rental business that allows customers to rent bicycles through a smartphone app. While you can develop the software, you do not have the money to buy the hardware, bicycles and bicycle racks. Historically you would have to find investors, or take some sort of …
Lawyers, and the practice of law, have played a key role throughout history and continue to do so today. For centuries, lawyers have had a fairly consistent process of analyzing the law and offering their services to others. Over the past several years, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists have created digital technology to change …
There are many hot-button issues being discussed in the series of presidential debates, as Americans are concerned about who is going to shape the future of the country. One issue, in particular, is that the next president will have a considerable influence over net neutrality rules. Net neutrality is the concept that every website gets …
Cell phone security raises various issues in the tech and legal world. On one hand, police officers and other law enforcement organizations would like to be able to access the data on cell phones belonging to criminals or victims if the cell phone has been seized as evidence of a crime. However, enabling police officers …
Without a doubt, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (“TPP”) is a very big deal. It is arguably “one of the most ambitious free trade agreements ever signed.” The TPP is a pact amongst twelve counties that aims to deepen economic ties by reducing and removing tariffs and by forging compromises on a wide range of trade related …
