Drinking, Facebook, Privacy, Social Media, Social Networking Websites, Technology, United Kingdom / Great Britain

If You Want to Go to the Clubs, Bring Your ID Facebook Page

Bouncers in the U.K. have started cross-checking IDs with patrons’ Facebook profiles. I smell a privacy dispute…

California, Facebook, Jury Duty, Reader Polls, Social Media, Social Networking Websites, Technology

There Has Got to be a Better Way to Keep Jurors Off Facebook

Hey, jurors, turn your phones off. Turn them off!

Facebook, Social Networking Websites, Technology, United Kingdom / Great Britain

You Got Served — By Facebook

Working as a process server is a tough job. It might be one of the few modern professions where “don’t shoot the messenger” still has literal meaning. Seth Rogen made it look kind of cool in Pineapple Express, and he got to wear disguises. But that movie wasn’t exactly realistic. But what if there was […]

Cyberlaw, Facebook, Sex, Sex Scandals, Sexual Harassment, Social Media, Social Networking Websites, Technology

Sex Offenders, Welcome to Facebook (Well, Kind Of)

Sex offenders are the easiest people to take away rights from. Even other criminals hate sex offenders. Their crimes are heinous, it’s unclear if recurring sex offenders can ever be “cured,” and if they ever get out of jail, even most progressives are happy to severely curtail their rights and freedoms. It’s tough to take […]

Facebook, Pro Se Litigants, Social Media, Social Networking Websites, Technology

No, You Can’t Sue Your Uncle For Putting Embarrassing Family Photos On Facebook

At this point, nearly everyone has at least one friend who finds perverse joy in posting stupid, unflattering photos of their friends to Facebook. Maybe drunk photos or maybe just dorky, grody ones from right after you ran a marathon or something. In these mildly annoying situations, most people would untag the photos and then […]

Facebook, Legal Ethics, State Judges, Technology

If You Are a Judge, Do Your Facebook Friends Matter?

It seems there is an interesting emerging trend in litigation these days: When a ruling doesn’t go your way, just make an appeal alleging judicial conflict of interest. Same-sex marriage opponents wanted California judge Vaughn Walker to recuse himself from Prop. 8 hearings because he is gay. If and when the Supreme Court decides to […]

Cyberlaw, Facebook, Intellectual Property, Social Networking Websites, Technology, Trademarks

Model Who Says, ‘I’m Too Sexy For This Trademark’ Loses $81K Suit

The Internet may be infinite, but people still are constantly fighting over online real estate. It happens in the porn industry, and it happens to celebrities. Even Miami Dolphins cheerleaders have to fight for their right to party at their own website. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida recently ruled in […]

Attorney Misconduct, Deaths, Facebook, Legal Ethics, Patton Boggs, Screw-Ups, Social Networking Websites, Technology, Trials

Facebook Spoliation Costs Widower and His Attorney $700K in Sanctions

When a tipster sent us an e-mail with the subject, “Court awards $700,000+ in sanctions for destruction of FB page,” Chris Danzig thought it sounded like it might be interesting. Because hey, that’s a lot of money. He didn’t realize it would also be one of the most depressing legal news stories he’d read since the tragic Friedlander murder-suicide….

Facebook, Labor / Employment, Privacy, Social Networking Websites, Technology

New York Court Says Sometimes Facebook Info Might Actually Be Private

Remember how everyone used say, “Don’t post anything on Facebook you wouldn’t want your boss to see. But if you do, just make sure you set your privacy settings so that your boss can’t see.” Well, things have changed. Now, when companies enter workman’s compensation or personal injury litigation, courts will sometimes order discovery on […]

Bad Ideas, Crime, Facebook, Rank Stupidity, Social Networking Websites, Technology

Wannabe Rapper Convicted of Making Criminal Threats on Facebook

I am constantly amazed at how dimwitted some criminals can be. We have covered them in these pages before, from the guy who left evidence of his violent plans open on his desktop, to the robber who reached out to his victim via Facebook. On Thursday in Pennsylvania, a federal jury convicted Anthony D. Elonis […]

Bad Ideas, Facebook, Free Speech, Social Networking Websites, Technology

Even in the Internet Age, You Can’t Call Your Boss a ‘Super Mega Puta’

It’s strange how quickly the world changes. Things used to be so simple, but now Steve Jobs has resigned from Apple and we’re having earthquakes in Washington, D.C. Moreover, some fundamental rules of online conduct are beginning to look like artifacts from a bygone era when people were crazy for RAZRs and nu metal. Gone […]

California, Crime, Cyberlaw, Facebook, Privacy, Social Networking Websites, Technology

Don’t Mess With Your Friend’s Facebook; It Might Be a Felony

When I was in college, it was not altogether uncommon for people to leave their laptops unattended with their Facebook accounts still logged in. It was not altogether uncommon for an enterprising prankster to creatively twiddle with said account. A little switch of sexual preference here, a mildly offensive profile picture there, and maybe a […]

Bad Ideas, Crime, Facebook, Social Networking Websites, Technology

Do Your Facebook Pictures Prove You’re A Criminal?

File this one under “Disappointing, but not really surprising.” According to a new study, it turns out that quite a few law students not only break the law, but also post the evidence on Facebook. We’ve already covered why this is a bad idea. For some reason I keep hoping Facebook has been around long […]

Facebook, Legal Ethics, Rudeness, Social Networking Websites, Technology

I’m Suing You, So No, We Can’t Be Facebook Friends

Lawyers love to talk about how technology always moves faster than the law. Nowhere is that tension more apparent (and sadistically fun to observe) than within the mean streets of Facebook. We’ve covered legal standards surrounding Facebook before — and it never gets old. This week, a defense attorney in a personal injury case learns […]

Bad Ideas, Facebook, Health Care / Medicine, Privacy, Screw-Ups, Social Networking Websites, Technology

ER Doc Forgets Patient Info is Private, Gets Fired for Facebook Overshare

I’m done whining about Facebook privacy issues. Everyone should know by now that Facebook and privacy are basically mutually exclusive. But every once in a while, someone does something stupid relating to Facebook privacy in a new, exciting way — like stealing a computer and posting photos of yourself on the owner’s page, or uploading […]

Facebook, Free Speech, Social Networking Websites, Technology

Insulting Your Boss Online Is Now Protected Speech

In 2009, a paramedic in Connecticut went home and complained about her boss on Facebook. Then she got fired. “Love how the company allows a 17 to be a supervisor,” 42-year-old Dawnmarie Souza wrote. A “17” is the code her company, the American Medical Response ambulance service, uses for a psychiatric patient. She also called […]