Communications Decency Act

Social media is a dangerous place. Especially when hosts do little to mitigate the risks.

Things are getting real!

Call me old fashioned, but I actually like the healthy exchange of ideas.

No matter how appealing, assuming that the use of another’s artwork or video in a political ad or campaign video qualifies as fair use of the work is ill-advised.

* These kind of technicalities are why people hate lawyers: A judge is requiring Bindi Irwin submit proof that her father, Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Irwin, is dead in order to collect her Dancing With The Stars money. Or, you know, he could look at the internet. [Gawker]

* Law professor gets ripped for “ridiculous” stance on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. [Techdirt]

* The 5 New York District Attorneys are seeking a raise, hoping to bring their salary up to a whooping $250,000. Which actually seems entirely reasonable. [New York Daily News]

* Good news for the Facebook obsessed — the Second Circuit has found “liking” something is a protected activity. [The Modern Workplace]

* Oh, the shame of going to Harvard Law. [Washington Post]

* Are legal tech startups lying to you? [Associate’s Mind]

* Exploring the disjunction between legal scholarship and legal practice. [TaxProf Blog]

This case could mean curtains for online speech, so follow it closely.

* After its patent battle in the courts, Apple wants Samsung to pay for a portion of MoFo’s legal fees. When you think of it, $15.7 million is a rather piddling amount when full freight is $60 million. [The Recorder]

* Say goodbye to your pensions! As it turns out, law review articles aren’t so useless after all. Detroit’s foray into Chapter 9 eligibility is the brainchild of a Jones Day partner and associate duo. [Am Law Daily]

* It must be really stressful to plan a wedding when your defamation victory is on appeal to the Sixth Circuit. The latest chapter in the Sarah Jones v. TheDirty.com case could mean curtains for online speech. [AP]

* When it comes to their credit ratings, stand-alone law schools are getting screwed due to their inability to put asses in their empty seats. Four out of five schools profiled could be in big trouble. Which ones? [WSJ Law Blog (sub. req.)]

* “You need to not dress like that.” TMZ’s attorney, Jason Beckerman, is an alumnus of Kirkland & Ellis, and he was quickly advised by a producer that he needed to lose his lawyer duds. [California Lawyer]

* Lanny Breuer’s resignation from his post as the assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice is neither fast nor furious enough for his critics. [Blog of Legal Times]

* “I don’t reimburse for taxi and car services around Manhattan.” Judge Martin Glenn is none too pleased with costly expenses billed to the Dewey & LeBoeuf bankruptcy estate by Togut, Segal & Segal, and he’s started slashing fees left and right. [Am Law Daily]

* The Florida Space Coast School of Law? This totally necessary school has a name that no one will ever be able to make fun of. Please let there be an equally necessary space law concentration. [Daytona Times]

* “Being rude is not illegal,” but thanks to The Dirty, it might have some damning consequences for CDA § 230. Maybe it’s a good thing the jurors in this sexy teacher’s defamation case were deadlocked last night. [KY Post]

* Julie Taymor settled her suit against the producers of Broadway’s musical adaptation of Spider-Man. It turns out all the judge had to do was schedule a trial date to get the parties to turn off the dark litigation. [Bloomberg]

* Here’s an example of legal Kaepernicking: the NFL got to flex its muscles when it strong-armed a football fan into abandoning his trademarks on “Harbowl” and “Harbaugh Bowl” in anticipation of the Super Bowl. [ESPN]

The Daily Kos reports that Senator Joe Lieberman is proposing to strike Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. What does that mean for you?