Singularity Law

The Obama Administration, with the support of the military and a long list of defense contractors, has asked Congress for massive increases in funding for cyberwarfare activities. As stated in an article by William J. Lynn III, formerly deputy defense secretary, cyberwar is “just as critical to military operations as land, sea, air, and space.” [...]

This year seems to have been one of the busiest, if not the busiest yet, in the field of cyber law. Much of this activity did not result in any concrete outcomes (yet), so many of the issues that we were hoping to get resolved in 2011 will be around again next year.
There are so [...]

On September 15, 2011, the FTC announced that it is seeking public comment on proposed amendments to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule, which govern the collection and use of personal information from children under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law was enacted in 1998 and the Rule was originally promulgated in [...]

Nowadays it seems like every time you turn around, something is invading your privacy. Google and others are watching you as you surf the Web. Apple iPhones are storing information on the locations you visit while carrying your phone. And now word comes that even driving your car may endanger your privacy.
What many people do [...]

During the first few years after the emergence of the commercial Internet in 1993 (or so), the U.S. government took a hands-off approach to regulation of the ‘net. The Clinton Administration, in particular, realized that over-regulation of the Internet in its infancy could have a serious, negative impact on its growth. The thought at that [...]

As a long-time fan of Apple products (starting with the Apple II in the late 1970s up to today’s latest Mac Pro and iPhone), I was wary of getting an iPad, since I didn’t like the idea of Apple being able to dictate what software I could and could not use on my computer. While [...]

In 1995 I read a book written by Nicholas Negroponte – the Founding Director of the MIT Media Lab. Called, Being Digital, the book made some predictions that were both incredibly exciting and seemingly improbable. This was a time when the Internet was just coming into its own – having been a closed, government-funded network [...]

For a number of years, I have taught a law school course titled “Drafting and Negotiating Technology Contracts.” It is one of many skilled-based courses being offered by law schools today to help their students “hit the ground running” as they enter the practice of law. Over the last decade, law firms have increasing insisted [...]

When I was growing up, my dad always told me that “just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.” Just because you can climb that tall tree, doesn’t mean you should. Just because you can ride your bike on that busy street, doesn’t mean you should. It was good advice that I have [...]

I was intrigued by a recent study of the views of entering college freshman done by Beloit College. Many of the items related to technology, such as:
• With cell phones to tell them the time, there is no need for a wristwatch.
• Email is just too slow….
• They never twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly [...]