Overlawyered » social networking

Will California regulate social networking?

Walter Olson — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:46:04 +0000

State Senator Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) has vowed to press the idea, the apparent idea being that the government is a better guardian of privacy interests than Facebook and similar services [Jacqueline Otto, CEI "Open Market"] Meanwhile, Geoffrey Manne reports that the feds are itching to start an antitrust or unfair competition case against Google [Main Justice via Truth on the Market]

Tags: antitrust, Facebook, Federal Trade Commission, Google, privacy, social networking

Will California regulate social networking? is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Unpleasant buzz

Walter Olson — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:58:17 +0000

Patrick at Popehat is not happy with a class action settlement over consumer non-injury from the Google Buzz service:

Mason and Ram will apply for, and probably get, $2,125,000 of that [$8.5 million] common fund, for all of their hard work representing thousands of people just like me, who weren’t damaged by Google because they ignored Google’s offer to try Google Buzz, a demonstrated failure that’s used by about seven people (not all of whom are class representatives) nationwide. …

If there’s any justice, and there isn’t, the Northern District of California will award Mason and Ram a dollar for every consumer who was injured by Google Buzz. That and five hundred more dollars will cover their airfare home.

Tags: class action settlements, Google, social networking

Unpleasant buzz is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

March 31 roundup

Walter Olson — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:23:41 +0000

Litigation over high-tech products is rife, but major benefits for consumers can be hard to discern [Low End Mac]
“United settles with female ex-pilot who found p0rn in cockpits” [Obscure Store]
California suit charges negligent “laying on of hands” at church service [Lowering the Bar]
UN resolution against “defamation of religion” imperils free speech [Paula Schriefer, Freedom House/CSM, Steyn/NR "Corner", National Secular Society (U.K.), Ilya Somin @ Volokh
DivorceNetwork.com, social networking for those caught up in family law battles? [Ambrogi, Legal BlogWatch]
Prosecutors behaving badly in Wayne County (Mich.), Miami, Santa Clara County [Radley Balko, Reason "Hit and Run"]
After nine years, the notorious Bill Lerach California-unfair-competition-law suit against Kwikset (over several screws from Taiwan in a lock marked “Made in America”) finally winds down [California Civil Justice, earlier]
Oklahoma AG Drew Edmondson to poultry companies: my pals will bankrupt you with massive verdicts unless you settle [Rizo/Legal NewsLine; more]