Intellectual Property Law
New Matter SUMMER 2014, Volume 39, Number 2
Content
- The Licensing Corner
- The Law of the Land
- Patent Interest Group
- Intellectual Property Section Interest Group Representatives 2013-2014
- Letter from the Chair
- Litigation Interest Group
- MCLE Self-Study Article
- International Interest Group
- Copyright Interest Group
- Licensing Interest Group
- Patents—Claim Construction—De Novo Standard of Review Upheld
- Entertainment and Sports Law Interest Group
- Letter from the Editor-in-Chief
- Trademark Interest Group
- Intellectual Property Section Executive Committee 2013-2014
- Ninth Circuit Report
- International Ip Developments
- Technology, Internet, & Privacy Interest Group
- 2014 New Matter Author Submission Guidelines
- Exploitation by Wrap Contracts—Click "Agree"
- Case Comments
- How to Obtain Ip insurance or How to Watch Your Client's Back
- Contents
- In-house Counsel Interest Group
Exploitation by Wrap Contracts—Click "Agree"
Nancy S. Kim
California Western School of Law
INTRODUCTION
A spate of news articles involving online agreements has made headlines recently. In July 2013, the Fourth Circuit held that copyright could be assigned via an online agreement.1 In September, Facebook announced changes to its privacy policy that inflamed privacy advocates and prompted an FTC investigation.2 These changes came after the settlement of a lawsuit involving its personal recommendation advertisements, known as "Sponsored Stories."3 A letter to the FTC from six privacy organizations protested that the changes would give Facebook the ability to exploit users’ personal information (including information about minors) in far-reaching and objectionable ways.4 Another online company, Yelp, recently sued a law firm for breach of contract, claiming that the law firm posted fake positive reviews.5 Interestingly, Yelp filed its lawsuit after the firm won a judgment against it in a case, which claimed that the online review company coerced the law firm into an advertising contract.6