Topics Internet Law Update

Seminar: Trade Secrets & Data Privacy: Laws in the United States Protecting Confidential Information & Sensitive Data

Technology companies are increasingly relying on trade secrets to maintain their edge in an ever-increasing competitive marketplace, while also harnessing consumer personal data. Companies that conduct a substantial portion of their business online must be especially vigilant about maintaining tight control over confidential intellectual property and their customers’ personal information. Recent developments in the United States have led to an increased focus on trade ...

Cambridge Analytica Fiasco: Facebook Privacy Practices Under Worldwide Investigation

Personal data of 50 million Facebook users was handed out to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm in the UK, in breach of the terms governing the use of such data. The firm, hired by President Trump's campaign in 2016, is suspected of exploiting the data by launching behaviorally targeted political messages to prospective voters. 

The collection of personal data ...

Federal Circuit Holds Google Liable for Copyright Infringement of Java API

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) has overturned a jury verdict and district court decisions finding that Google’s copying and use of 37 of Oracle’s Java API packages are permissible as ‘fair use’ under copyright law. 

The dispute has been in litigation for about eight years and has yet to conclude. In 2005, Google acquired Android, ...

The U.S Copyright Act May Apply to Infringements Outside the United States

The U.S Court of Appeal for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that a foreign company, that transmitted copyright protected content into the U.S. via an online platform, is liable for copyright infringement under the U.S. Copyright Act, although the Copyright Act lacks an explicit provision on extraterritorial application. 

The decision was delivered in a lawsuit filed on behalf of ...

Israeli Bank Ordered to Provide Banking Services to Bitcoin-related Accout

The Israeli Supreme Court has granted a motion for interim injunction by Bits of Gold Ltd., enjoining Bank Le’umi Le’Israel, one of Israel’s largest and leading commercial banks, from ceasing to provide banking services to the company's bank account (which is related to Bitcoin commerce). The injunctive relief was granted for the duration of the appeal proceedings between the bank ...

Precedential U.S. Legislation Curtails Immunity for Operators of Online Services

For the first time in over 20 years, the U.S. Congress has passed a bill curtailing immunity from liability granted to operators of online services for publishing and hosting unlawful content. Once President Trump signs the act, online platforms that are found to "promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person" or are found to be involved in sex trafficking, ...

Israeli Law Restricting Access to Websites Invoked for the First Time

The State Attorney office in Israel has filed the first motions seeking court orders to restrict access to Israeli websites advertising prostitution. These are the first motions ever filed within the ambit of the Powers for Preventing the Commission of Offenses through Websites Law, legislated in July 2017.

The new law empowers a district court judge to issue, on motion ...

A Revolution in the World of Electronic Signatures in Israel

The third amendment to the Israeli Electronic Signature Law has entered into effect and will have a significant impact on how electronic signatures can be used in Israel. According to the amendment, any electronic signature, even a simple one, can potentially comply with any legal requirements for a signature – "provided that the purposes underlying the signature requirement found in ...

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