Freedom of Speech
Regulating Speech In Cyberspace: Dr. Emily Laidlaw on Corporate Social Responsibility
From Facebook Groups dedicated to rape jokes to death threats on Twitter, the Internet can seem like a free speech free-for-all. Anyone can say anything, because who is going to stop them? In her presentation, Regulating Speech in Cyberspace, University of Calgary Professor, Dr. Emily Laidlaw answers that question.
The Right to Be Forgotten, A “Bad Solution to a Very Real Problem”
Jonathan Zittrain[1] calls the right to be forgotten a “ bad solution to a very real problem.” This article sets out to answer two questions. Firstly, what is the problem that the right to be forgotten is trying to solve? Secondly, why is the right to be forgotten a bad solution to this problem?
New Developments in Trademark Dispute of Asian-American Rock Band "The Slants" Reignite Free Speech Debate
Recent developments in the ongoing trademark dispute involving Asian American dance rock band "The Slants" have reignited discussion regarding disparaging marks and free speech. Last month the band argued before a U.S. appeals court that the government’s rejection of its trademark application pursuant to "the provision in the Lanham Act that bars disparaging trademarks violates the First Amendment and should be […]
Much Ado about Privacy? How the Alberta Government's Inaction on PIPA Threatened the Act
Over the past year, the status of Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) was in flux and closely watched by privacy experts and practitioners across Canada. In November 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Alberta (Information and Privacy Commissioner) v United Food and Commercial Workers, 2013 SCC 62, rendered PIPA unconstitutional, and declared it […]
Intellectual Property, Politicians, and the Press: Who’s Protecting the Public Good?
It’s hardly surprising that politicians and members of the press often find themselves at odds with one another, as the two have a long history of conflicting priorities and mandates. Yet the two entities occupy complementary and at times oppositional roles in serving the public good. The recent debate surrounding leaked information about possible copyright […]
Privacy rights out of focus as Colorado court zooms in on First Amendment
In Kristina Hill, Brian Edwards and Thomas Privitere v Public Advocate of the United States, a homosexual couple who had posted an engagement photo on their blog were devastated to discover that the image had been used in two political advertisements that opposed same-sex marriage. After realizing the advertisements had been sent to several thousand […]
Parody in Trade-mark Law - "Dumb Starbucks" Might Not Be So Dumb After All
Nathan Fielder created quite an uproar when he opened up an establishment in Los Feliz, California named "Dumb Starbucks." According to its FAQ sheet, the store claimed to legally operate under US parody laws.
Privacy and Proportionality: The Supreme Court finds Alberta Privacy Legislation Unconstitutional
Privacy legislation frequently pits the importance of safeguarding personal information against the constitutional protection of freedom of expression. In Alberta (Information and Privacy Commissioner) v United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 401 (“UFCW”), the Supreme Court of Canada ("SCC") has made an important statement about the permissible extent of privacy protection, and the importance of […]