In recent times, the concern over the distribution of, and access to, users’ data on the web continues due to rising cyber activity. This has lead to an increase in Internet-related class action lawsuits. What are the different types of class action categories? One category of class actions relates to…
Internet Lawyer Blog
Internet Rights v. Human Rights
During the course of history, the United States Constitution has been amended in order to achieve the best interests of the nation and citizens. However, technological advancements have posed as obstacles to the changes as internet and human rights have recently become issues. What is the relation between the Internet…
The LastPass Data Breach
LastPass is a password management service that allows users to centralize all of their collective passwords under one master password. On June 15, 2015, LastPass announced that it was hacked and user data was compromised in the process. What was stolen from the LastPass database? LastPass officials released a statement…
Telephone Call Harassment
In general, harassing phone calls are distinguished from unwanted phone calls based on obscene or threatening language used to intimidate or scare the recipient. A phone call must hold malicious intentions in order to be classified as harassment punishable under California state laws. What makes telephone calls a crime in…
Computer Hacking Laws
In general, computer crime is a term that covers a variety of crimes involving internet or computer use that may be prosecuted under state or federal laws. Because of the rise in computer crimes, California state laws include provisions that prohibit these violations. In addition, other states have passed computer…
Online Free Speech Limitations: Elonis v. United States
On June 1, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of Anthony Elonis in Elonis v. United States, regarding free speech limitations as implemented via social media platforms. This ruling was the first time the Supreme Court raised implications of free speech related to social media.…
International Hackers Breach Government Database
On June 4, 2015, four million current and former federal employees were informed that China-based hackers were suspected of gaining access to and compromising their personally identifiable information (PII) via a breach of government computer networks. The scope of the attack has allowed it to be described as one of…
Cyberattackers Gain Access to IRS Tax Returns
On May 26, 2015, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) announced that criminals illegally accessed data to retrieve the past tax returns of approximately 100,000 individuals through the IRS website. The criminals managed to use social security numbers, birth dates, street addresses, and “out of wallet” data (e.g., person’s first car,…
Regulation A+ and Tiers I and II
As of March 25, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted new rules to update and expand Regulation A. Regulation A+ will allow companies to gain access to funds through crowdfunding. These new rules are mandated by Title IV of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act. What will…
Software Licensing and SaaS Agreements
The modern day business model is shifting towards cloud computing and Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) agreements. This new trend allows customers to treat licensing costs as expenses that can be paid over time. SaaS also provides a solution to bug fixes, glitches, and the updating of licenses simultaneously. With the shift to…