Review Websites Being Questioned

Review websites claiming to be a “passive conduit” of comments about service providers are being questioned. The matter of consumer trust in reviews provided by these sites run the risk of being manipulated by subscriber agreements. What stands in the fulcrum is the ability for these sites to bolster the transparency of their policies in order to enhance consumer trust. In the background is that consumer protection laws do shield consumer review websites from liability for the reviews posted by consumers of service providers.

Whether a consumer can claim that the particular review site suppresses negative comments, heightens negative comments, suppresses positive comments, or heightens positive comments is a matter in fact finding in a case. To the extent that they take place, then arguments alleging fraud do gain legs. For instance, if positive or negative reviews are selected for consumer availability, then there could be a stated requirement of disclosing to the general public that they are not reading all reviews on a service provider. The element of trust in the reliability of the reviews provided then is questionable. Disclosing to the public the process of handling the posting will only enhance the trust factor.

The twist, as one can tell is looming, is when a site offers ratings and rakings. If the process involves selection of differing quality of review, that puts into question the trustworthiness of the ratings and rankings. In that case, the claim of being a passive conduit of reviews read more.

Lorenzo Law Firm is “Working to Protect your Business, Ideas, and Property on the Web."

Copyright 2015, all rights reserved Lorenzo Law Firm, P.A.  

Personal Data Privacy - Proposed Consumer Privacy Bill

Consumer Data Privacy Bill

data protection law – internet privacy law - consumer protection law

Giving people more control over their personal information is in the horizon. Concern however remains with companies and data brokers having discretion. The proposed Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights Act, sets some requirements on companies that process personal information. The idea is to establish some best practices of analyzing data. What risks linger remains as key concern.

The Bill leaves companies to establish a ‘code of conduct’ for best practices, but seeks the Federal Trade Commission to oversee that the best practices meet certain open and clear notice requirements to consumers on how their personal information is handled. It is expected that the FTC will have enforcement powers under the Bill.

The Bill, as is, gives read more ...

Lorenzo Law Firm is “Working to Protect your Business, Ideas, and Property on the Web."

Copyright 2015, all rights reserved Lorenzo Law Firm, P.A.  

Copyright Filings and the Library of Congress

Copyright law - Intellectual property law

Seldom does one wonder how the Library of Congress is the world’s largest library with over 140 million materials that include maps, films, sounding recordings, software programs, photographs, and books. The Registry processes nearly half of million copyright claim filings a year.

The reason behind its prominence is that works published in the United State are required to be deposited under sec. 407 of the Copyright Act, read more       

Lorenzo Law Firm, P.A, copyright 2015.

Personal Data Privacy - Proposed Consumer Privacy Bill

Consumer Data Privacy Bill

data protection law – internet privacy law

Giving people more control over their personal information is in the horizon. Concern however remains with companies and data brokers having discretion. The proposed Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights Act, sets some requirements on companies that process personal information. The idea is to establish some best practices of analyzing data. What risks linger ... read more

Lorenzo Law Firm, P.A. copyright 2015

Concerns over Facial Recognition Feature Stalls Photo-sharing App in Europe

Internet Privacy Law - Internet Security

The facial recognition technology can identify Facebook friends to whom users can then forward the photos. Canadian and European regulators are not favorable of social network's use of facial recognition technology. The general concern... read more

Lorenzo Law Firm is “Working to Protect your Business, Ideas, and Property on the Web."

Copyright 2015, all rights reserved Lorenzo Law Firm, P.A.  

 

 

Data Protection - Sufficiency of Future Harm from Hacking – ‘Standing’

Data Protection

Data breaches and hacking of personal information drew the attention of the 7^th Circuit where it reversed a district court ruling holding that where future harm suffices for standing (Remijas v. Neiman Marcus Group, LLC).  The court reasoned that hackers could ...read more

Lorenzo Law Firm, P.A. copyright 2015

eCommerce Law - Medicine and the Rise of “Telemedicine”

eCommerce Law
Imagine receiving medical diagnosis via web.  Would the FCC approve it?  Not so fast.   FCC is concerned that these services would require prioritization for data and real time performance, i.e., reliability of service.  The FCC is concerned with equality and at the same time, it is concerned over the critical patient and doctor exchange that requires immediate attention without the possibility of an unexpected emergency situation.  The FCC is concerned that during the patient and doctor web-exchange a medical emergency occurs involving the patient when local medical attention is needed.  The FCC is focused on equal treatment of data.  Consideration for reserving network capacity may not be a solution as it could limit ecommerce.  Ideas of data equal treatment and prohibiting prioritization will not allow telemedicine to thrive.

Yet not all services exact the same level of demand on the network.      FCC’s Open Internet rules focus on the following: banning prioritization, equal data treatment, and simplifying service requirements. It ignores emerging services, possible capacity of the internet, and the ill effects of blocking bans. 

FCC’s Title II regime, Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) oppose critical aspects likely to benefit telemedicine and similar services, such as cloud routing, disclosure of CPNI information, and the possibility of diagnostics.  

The benefits of telemedicine could be without boundaries if the Open Internet Rules embraced the inherent diversity of services that the internet allows us to receive and deliver.   Ecommerce could be fostered.

Lorenzo Law Firm, P.A. copyright 2015

http://lorenzolawfirm.com     https://plus.google.com/u/0/+LorenzoLawFirmPATallahassee/posts

Internet Law Lawyers │Ecommerce Law Lawyers │Intellectual Property Law Lawyers │Social Media Law Lawyers │Technology Law Lawyers │Defamation Law Lawyers │Trademark Law Lawyers │Copyright Law Lawyers  │Business Law Lawyers │Privacy Law Lawyers │General Counsel Lawyers │Computer Law Lawyers │Counselors & Attorneys at Law