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Video Privacy Law and Online Services
The Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), passed by Congress in 1988, has reemerged as consumer video rentals have migrated from brick-and-mortar video stores to online subscription services, or sites that allow digital streaming of TV shows and movies over the Internet. The VPPA, which generally prohibits video service providers from releasing personally identifiable information (PII) without written consent, has become a relevant concern for modern media providers because such services are now typically linked to social media sites that allow users to share viewing habits, something that was not possible 20 years ago.
The VPPA, 18 U.S.C. '2710, http://1.usa.gov/Woigzh, prohibits video tape service providers from knowingly disclosing PII concerning any consumer to any person. The impetus for the Act occurred when a reporter obtained a list of videotapes that the late U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Robert Bork rented from his local video store. Specifically, the Act prohibits a “video tape service provider” from:
- Knowingly disclosing to any person;
- Personally identifiable information (PII) concerning any consumer of such provider;
- Except for certain disclosures ' such as to the consumer or law enforcement, or for disclosures “incident to the ordinary course of business” of the video tape service provider, defined as “debt collection activities, order fulfillment, request processing, and the transfer of ownership.”
18 U.S.C. '2710(a)(4).
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough
There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.
Judge Rules Shaquille O'Neal Will Face Securities Lawsuit for Promotion, Sale of NFTs
A federal district court in Miami, FL, has ruled that former National Basketball Association star Shaquille O'Neal will have to face a lawsuit over his promotion of unregistered securities in the form of cryptocurrency tokens and that he was a "seller" of these unregistered securities.
Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It
Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?
Blockchain Domains: New Developments for Brand Owners
Blockchain domain names offer decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS-based domain names, promising enhanced security, privacy and censorship resistance. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, particularly for brand owners seeking to protect their trademarks in these new digital spaces.
Coverage Issues Stemming from Dry Cleaner Contamination Suits
In recent years, there has been a growing number of dry cleaners claiming to be "organic," "green," or "eco-friendly." While that may be true with respect to some, many dry cleaners continue to use a cleaning method involving the use of a solvent called perchloroethylene, commonly known as perc. And, there seems to be an increasing number of lawsuits stemming from environmental problems associated with historic dry cleaning operations utilizing this chemical.