What Does an Internet Lawyer Do?
Internet lawyers help individuals or businesses with online legal issues. They can defend your reputation from harmful e-commerce reviews and other forms of defamation. They can also help you protect your intellectual property rights. Learn more.
Many attorneys are seeking ways to use the Net to increase marketing, to “meet” colleagues (like in nationwide discussion groups on ADA law) or simply to communicate with clients by e-mail.
Libel and Defamation
A person’s reputation is very important, and the internet has allowed people to quickly spread derogatory information about others. The ease of posting to social media and lack of filters on some websites allow individuals to make negative statements about companies or other individuals, often with little proof of harm. These derogatory statements can be considered libel or defamation, depending on the circumstances.
Defamation can occur through written or spoken words, pictures, or cartoons that expose a person to public hatred, disgrace, or distress and cause loss of reputation. To be defamatory, the false statement must have a tendency to cause injury, and it must be published without consent. Statements that are privileged, truthful, or made in good faith are not defamatory.
A company that has suffered defamatory statements may need an internet lawyer to identify those responsible for the attack and take necessary legal action. This can include subpoenaing email, phone, and social media records to track down the individual.
Privacy and Data Security
Privacy and data security are key issues affecting internet lawyers. Data privacy concerns the proper handling, processing, storage and usage of personal information with a priority placed on protecting individual rights. This often means ensuring that any data that is gathered is done so legally and within the bounds of prevailing laws.
Data security is about the protection of sensitive, personally identifiable information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, and medical records. It also relates to encrypting sensitive data for safety and limiting access to those who should have it. Internet lawyers who specialize in these areas can help clients create and maintain privacy policies, terms of service agreements and other documents governing how consumers and businesses use their websites. They can also provide advice on enforcing privacy policies or dealing with any kind of data breach. They can also help with defamation cases where information posted online has caused financial or physiological loss.
Cybercrime
While cybercrime is frequently associated with hacking, the term encompasses a much wider scope of criminal activities. Examples include email fraud (phishing scams, for instance), identity theft, which involves stealing private information to access bank accounts or online retail service accounts; cyber extortion, where criminals demand money from victims to stop malicious attacks; and the dissemination of illegal data or images such as child pornography.
The proliferation of Internet-based technology has led to the creation of new laws and regulatory agencies aimed at preventing or punishing cyber crimes. Legislation can be broad in scope, such as those dealing with copyright infringement or the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, or sector-specific, like laws addressing financial services and privacy policies.
In addition to the above, cybercriminals often engage in organized global crime, involving multi-person teams and sophisticated tools that can go undetected. As a result, they can cause extensive financial and reputational harm while remaining hidden from law enforcement. As such, they represent a serious threat to our global economy and society.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is anything that can be legally protected from unauthorized use by others, including inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names, and images used in commerce. It also includes the intangible assets that distinguish businesses and provide value to consumers.
The Internet has made it easier for people to copy and sell others’ work without permission. This has caused many problems in industries such as music and films. New laws have been created to protect intellectual property and ensure that only those who own the rights can profit from them.
An internet lawyer can help clients protect their trademarks, patents, and copyrights. This can involve conducting searches and registering trademarks and patents, as well as defending them against claims of infringement. This requires a firm understanding of the law and how it applies to new technologies. Having a lawyer who is familiar with intellectual property law can help companies stay ahead of the competition.