Overlawyered » technology http://overlawyered.com Chronicling the high cost of our legal system Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:11:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 IP suit shuts down time zone database http://overlawyered.com/2011/10/ip-suit-shuts-down-time-zone-database/ http://overlawyered.com/2011/10/ip-suit-shuts-down-time-zone-database/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:28:50 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=25069 An open-source database described as “the computing world’s principal source of time-zone data” and “the key tool used by everyone to tell the right time globally” was shut down last week because of a lawsuit asserting that it was too dependent on a privately published atlas which was (allegedly) improperly relied on for historic entries. It’s been rebooted now, but the database compilers still face possible personal liability. [Stephen Colebourne, update] Programmer Arthur Olson, incidentally, is no relation.

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2011/10/ip-suit-shuts-down-time-zone-database/feed/ 5 Europe’s unwelcoming tech hatchery http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/europes-unwelcoming-tech-hatchery/ http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/europes-unwelcoming-tech-hatchery/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:40:34 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=23610 Why does Europe generate so few star high-tech firms? Bad labor law is one reason [Brian Palmer, Slate]

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/europes-unwelcoming-tech-hatchery/feed/ 3 New frontiers in international human rights http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/new-frontiers-in-international-human-rights/ http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/new-frontiers-in-international-human-rights/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:43:53 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=23304 Even for nonpayment of cable bills? “The United Nations has declared Internet access a human right, and disconnecting people from it is against international law.” [Stan Schroeder, Mashable]

More: According to some commenters, what’s going on here is an assertion only of liberty rights (authorities should not block access) and not of affirmative welfare rights to internet access. Accepting this view for the basis of argument, there still arises the question of whether commonly encountered terms of service will now be at risk of being declared contrary to international law; per news coverage, some advocates hope the new initiative will bar closing the accounts of distributors of pirated music etc., and one can readily imagine parallel claims by email spammers, launchers of DDOS attacks and other controversial classes of users.

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/new-frontiers-in-international-human-rights/feed/ 8 Self-driving cars http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/self-driving-cars/ http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/self-driving-cars/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:10:27 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=23283 The technology is advancing rapidly, and promises a vast emancipation from drudgery — if punitive/prohibitive liability and regulatory rules don’t block its path. [Tyler Cowen] More: Ryan Calo.

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/self-driving-cars/feed/ 4 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/computer-fraud-and-abuse-act/ http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/computer-fraud-and-abuse-act/#comments Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:34:46 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=23274 Congress is once again considering expanding an “anti-hacking” law that’s already disturbingly broad. Will users someday risk a felony rap for flouting websites’ Terms of Use? [Orin Kerr, Volokh]

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2011/06/computer-fraud-and-abuse-act/feed/ 2 Legal boilerplate appended to email http://overlawyered.com/2011/04/legal-boilerplate-appended-to-email/ http://overlawyered.com/2011/04/legal-boilerplate-appended-to-email/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:46:06 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=22503 It probably isn’t accomplishing much: “Lawyers and experts on internet policy say no court case has ever turned on the presence or absence of such an automatic e-mail footer in America, the most litigious of rich countries.” [The Economist; & note comments that take issue with the above assertion, and also point out the uses of such footers in pre-trial discovery]

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2011/04/legal-boilerplate-appended-to-email/feed/ 9 Taking anti-hacking law too far? http://overlawyered.com/2011/01/taking-anti-hacking-law-too-far/ http://overlawyered.com/2011/01/taking-anti-hacking-law-too-far/#comments Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:01:34 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=20969 Arguing for a temporary restraining order in a civil dispute, lawyers for Sony argue that the federal “anti-hacking” law prohibits unauthorized access to one’s own computer. (As commenters point out, the company may also have less controversial arguments based on other areas of law, such as intellectual property and contract.) [Orin Kerr]

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2011/01/taking-anti-hacking-law-too-far/feed/ 4 The procurement mess http://overlawyered.com/2010/11/the-procurement-mess/ http://overlawyered.com/2010/11/the-procurement-mess/#comments Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:11:08 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=20035 How Government Works (or doesn’t):

This foundational regulation that affects all of government is completely and totally broken. One need only look at CIO-Of-The-Federal-Government Vivek Kundra’s desk for the evidence. Last time I was in there, he had a 17″ all in one Gateway computer sitting on it because regulations prohibit him from buying a reasonable machine. He’s the CIO!

[Clay Johnson]

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2010/11/the-procurement-mess/feed/ 8 Publication: we’ll come after those who read multiple stories online http://overlawyered.com/2010/10/publication-well-come-after-those-who-read-multiple-stories-online/ http://overlawyered.com/2010/10/publication-well-come-after-those-who-read-multiple-stories-online/#comments Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:54:28 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=19872 The North Country Gazette does not put its articles behind a paywall, but insists that visitors not read more than one unless they subscribe. According to BoingBoing, a notice on the site (now apparently taken down, or at least inaccessible to many visitors) contained the following menacing wording:

A subscription is required at North Country Gazette. We allow only one free read per visitor. We are currently gathering IPs and computer info on persistent intruders who refuse to buy subscription and are engaging in theft of services. We have engaged an attorney who will be doing a bulk subpoena demand on each ISP involved… and will then pursue individual legal actions.

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]]> http://overlawyered.com/2010/10/publication-well-come-after-those-who-read-multiple-stories-online/feed/ 8 “Lawsuit accuses GPS firm of aiding domestic abuse” http://overlawyered.com/2010/05/lawsuit-accuses-gps-firm-of-aiding-domestic-abuse/ http://overlawyered.com/2010/05/lawsuit-accuses-gps-firm-of-aiding-domestic-abuse/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 11:24:10 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=17217 “Jane Doe” has sued a Missouri company, Foxtrax Vehicle Tracking Inc., in a Wisconsin court, saying it aided and abetted her domestic partner in tracking her whereabouts, thus enabling him to commit assault and battery on her. [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via Masnick/TechDirt and Siouxsie Law]

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