Balough
February 9, 2015
Today’s technology-advanced cars are vulnerable to hacking, which can result in the theft of personal driving information and control of the vehicle taken over by hackers, a new report issued by Sen. Ed Markey’s office finds. The report, “Tracking & Hacking Security & Privacy Gaps Put American Drivers at Risk,” notes its findings “reveal that […]
Balough
February 8, 2015
The First Amendment does not guarantee the right of the press to publish unlawfully obtained sensitive information of marginal public value, the Seventh Circuit found. The opinion in Dahlstrom v. Sun-Times said it answers the long-standing “still-open question” created when the U.S. Supreme Court found that a newspaper could publish unlawfully obtained information if the newspaper […]
Balough
January 28, 2015
As the internet of things (IoT) affects more consumers, businesses must build security into the devices at the outset rather than as an afterthought, a report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff recommends. The report, Internet of Things, Privacy & Security in a Connected World, is based upon a workshop last fall discussing what […]
Balough
January 27, 2015
Lindsey Duncan, a purported expert on health foods and nutrition, who touted on the Dr. Oz Show a green coffee bean weight loss supplement, which he sold without credible studies supporting the claims, has agreed to pay a $9 million fine. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a consent decree with Duncan, Genesis Today, Inc., […]
Balough
January 22, 2015
DISH Network’s DVR technologies do not infringe on Fox Broadcasting Company’s copyrights, but provisions in a 2002 contract prohibit some of DISH’s activities, a federal district court found in ruling on cross-motions for summary judgment. Fox filed a copyright infringement and breach of contact case against DISH Network over its services that allow consumers to time […]
Balough
January 9, 2015
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reached out to local law enforcement to help pursue operators of unauthorized commercial drones. Current FAA regulations prohibit the commercial use of drones, formally known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unless the party receives a specific FAA waiver. So far, only a handful of waivers have been granted. As […]
Balough
January 8, 2015
The question of who came up with the idea for Heinz Ketchup’s “Dip & Squeeze” packaging will be left to a jury, a Pennsylvania U.S. District Court judge said. The court denied H. J. Heinz Company’s motion for summary judgment. The company sought to dismiss the case arguing that it was in the process of developing […]
Balough
December 30, 2014
Revenge porn will be illegal in Illinois as a result of a bill signed into law by out-going Governor Pat Quinn. Revenge porn occurs when one person posts or otherwise disseminates intimate images of a former partner without the other partner’s consent. The new law, which takes effect on June 1, 2015, makes it a […]
Balough
December 16, 2014
How and from whom a reporter obtained information, including police and toxicology reports, is not relevant to a murder trial, so it was error for the trial court to require that the sources be disclosed, an Illinois Appellate Court found. Joseph Hosey was a reporter for the Joliet Patch. The news website ran several stories describing […]
Balough
December 13, 2014
In a reversal of previous practice, employees may use their employer’s email system for labor organizing, the National Labor Relations Board ruled. The new case involved the right of employees to “communicate with one another regarding self-organization at the jobsite” under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act. In 2007 the NLRB had found […]
