The Digital Age and now the Social Media Age has had a significant effect on traditional methods of protecting intellectual property. Sports brands and athletes may be losing hundreds of millions and possibly billions of dollars a year due to fraud and the misappropriation of their digital image and likeness. Stopping the problem is like playing whack-w-mole in your local arcade. When you think you have hit every target another one appears.
Every couple of months there seems to be another story how law enforcement has seized websites and/or counterfeit merchandise. Last year, when I read that Google paid a $500 million dollar fine to avoid prosecution that it knowingly accepted advertising that was against the law I wondered if Facebook had a similar problem. I started to pay closer attention to the ads that were appearing on my Facebook account and soon realized that Facebook may be accepting ads for counterfeit merchandise.
I have seen a tremendous number of ads for allegedly counterfeit merchandise on Facebook and I have discussed this issue with others, including the media. Generally, Internet platforms are not liable for the content that is posted on their websites. However, if a digital platform is put on notice about a problem and does not take reasonable steps to resolve it then it may have potential legal liability.
Does the law need to be updated? Does enforcement need to be increased?
To learn more about these issues you may contact me at www.shearlaw.com.
Copyright 2012 by the Law Office of Bradley S. Shear, LLC. All rights reserved.
Showing posts with label Facebook Fake Ads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Facebook Fake Ads. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Does Facebook Have A Problem With Ads For Counterfeit Merchandise?
Facebook is scheduled to release its earnings tomorrow. Will Facebook meet or beat market expectations? I don't want to speculate on its earnings report, but has Facebook's revenues been manipulated by ads for counterfeit merchandise?
According to CBS News, the company makes about $5 a year on each user. Is this number inflated due to advertising revenue received from companies who are hawking counterfeit merchandise on Facebook?
Does Facebook have a Google pharma ad problem on its hand? In 2011, Google agreed to pay a $500 million dollar fine to avoid prosecution due to displaying advertisements from Canadian pharmacies which illegally sold prescription drugs to American consumers. An important question in the Google case was did it intentionally turn a blind eye to the matter? Is Facebook intentionally turning a blind eye regarding advertising for counterfeit merchandise on its platform?
To learn more about these issues you may contact me at www.shearlaw.com.
Copyright 2012 by the Law Office of Bradley S. Shear, LLC. All rights reserved.
According to CBS News, the company makes about $5 a year on each user. Is this number inflated due to advertising revenue received from companies who are hawking counterfeit merchandise on Facebook?
Does Facebook have a Google pharma ad problem on its hand? In 2011, Google agreed to pay a $500 million dollar fine to avoid prosecution due to displaying advertisements from Canadian pharmacies which illegally sold prescription drugs to American consumers. An important question in the Google case was did it intentionally turn a blind eye to the matter? Is Facebook intentionally turning a blind eye regarding advertising for counterfeit merchandise on its platform?
To learn more about these issues you may contact me at www.shearlaw.com.
Copyright 2012 by the Law Office of Bradley S. Shear, LLC. All rights reserved.
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