Source: http://www.medialaw.org/digital17/item/3582
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 23:01:47+00:00

Document:
The conference, a joint production of the Media Law Resource Center and the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology, explores emerging legal issues surrounding digital content in today’s multi-platform world. Our 2017 Digital Conference will be held May 18th & 19th, 2017 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. The Conference will feature six sessions running from 1:00 p.m. on May 18, with an early evening reception, through 1:00 p.m. on May 19th.
UC Berkeley School of Law certifies that this activity has been approved for 7.25 general hours MCLE credit by the State Bar of California. If you are seeking credit for another jurisdiction, please check with your state bar to determine if California MCLE credits are recognized, through reciprocity, in your jurisdiction.
Copyrights are granted globally and digital content on platforms is distributed globally. Therefore, publishers and digital platforms must consider a global approach to content management and copyright. In the U.S., the notice and takedown provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act give platforms breathing room to avoid liability for the distribution of user generated content – though an array of new case law adds complexity to DMCA safe harbor compliance. See, e.g., BMG v. Cox, Mavrix Photographs, Vimeo, Lenz, & Grooveshark. European copyright law, on the other hand, increasingly appears to protect publishers and other rightsholders from digital platforms, which may be viewed as a threat. Recent CJEU decisions, GS Media v. Sanoma Media and Filmspeler, create uncertainty at the least, and could create, in certain circumstances, copyright liability for mere linking to infringing materials. Similarly, at both the national and EU level, copyright reforms are being proposed and adopted that create new rights for publishers and burdens for digital platforms.
Caleb Donaldson, Copyright Counsel, Google Inc.
Many government entities in the EU appear to be gunning for U.S.-based digital companies. This is reflected in the new copyright law discussed in the earlier panel, but is also seen in a variety of data protection & privacy regulations: GDPR, Privacy Shield, right to be forgotten (including possibility of requiring global search removals under Google Spain, and expansion of RTBF beyond search engines), and increasing discomfort among U.S. platforms that the EU is seeking to project its law and values on the rest of the world. This panel will attempt to better understand Europe's way of thinking about these issues and offer strategies for digital companies – not just the big players – but smaller startups that will have to grapple with the unintended consequences of the long arm of European regulations. This session will open with a 20-minute keynote speech from Yale Law School Dean, Robert Post, based on his paper, "The News about Google Spain: Management, Civility, and The Right to Be Forgotten."
The new FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai, has announced his intention to repeal the FCC's 2015 Open Internet Order that had brought the internet under Title II common carrier regulation and to reclassify ISPs as Title I information services. There is sure to be a contentious battle over these new rules and a fierce debate about the prospects for net neutrality if broadband is reclassified. Our discussion will try to rise above the rhetoric and provide tech lawyers with practical information on how publishers, platforms and content providers can position themselves and prepare in the wake of this major policy shift.
During the past year or so, a number of court decisions have chipped away at the protection of Section 230. Recently, courts have appeared receptive to claims that fall outside the usual ambit of publishing torts, where, e.g., a duty to warn was alleged (Doe v. Internet Brands), or where an online marketplace site takes a share of an unlawful transaction (Airbnb v. San Francisco). California's Supreme Court will soon consider whether platforms can be forced to remove content based on a third-party default judgment (Hassell v. Bird); in the lower courts, California's prosecution of Backpage.com executives continues (State v. Ferrer); and another recent trend: social media sites are increasingly seeing suits brought under anti-terrorism statutes by terror victims who claim tech companies are responsible for extremists' use of platforms. Our expert panel will review the current landscape of Section 230 litigation, and highlight areas of concern for the coming years.
Aaron Schur, Senior Director of Litigation, Yelp, Inc.
This session will bring together government agents and in-house counsel, who often must call upon one another to investigate and stop cyber threats from hackers, terrorist organizations and violent extremist groups. What issues arise when digital companies seek the aid of government in response to hacking and other online threats, including those from state actors like Russia and North Korea? How should platforms respond to government requests for cooperation in stopping terrorists from recruiting and spreading propaganda, while maintaining principles of free speech, transparency, and privacy? Where should digital companies draw the line on permitting intrusive surveillance and data requests? Our panel will explore the state of the relationship between tech and government and attempt to find common ground.
Nicole Jones, Associate General Counsel - Global Law Enforcement and Safety, Google Inc.
• How do we address the issue of filter bubbles and fake news?
• What policies might be adopted by platforms to assure that social media are open to diverse voices, even if they're not necessarily popular voices or politically correct?
• What is the right way to balance free speech and protections against harassment, cyberbullying and hate speech? What tools have been successful in striking a balance?

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