Archive for the 'Legal Issues' Category

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“…and nothing but the truth, so help me Google” [Guest Post]

Published by a Guest on March 18, 2008 in Facebook, Google, Legal Issues, News, Privacy, Social Networks and Web 2.0. View Comments

It’s a pleasure for me to present a guest post submitted by Jarry Taylor, a partner with Maynard, Cooper & Gale PC — one of Alabama’s leading law firms located in scenic Birmingham.  And… he’s my dad!  Thanks to Jarry/Dad for contributing to Tropophilia!

The American Bar Association’s Litigation News reports on a recent phenomenon many of us law types have been talking about, namely the change in the way investigations are performed and how to get information about people involved in legal cases.  Forget the old style gum shoe black cloak, long-lens photographer investigator (although they do still come in handy sometimes).  We’re now talking about finding out all sorts of neat and interesting stuff from MySpace, Facebook and even Match.com.

Have a witness you’re about to depose in a case coming to trial next month?  Worried you might not know all there is to know about him?  Think you should fork out money for an investigator to dig up information about him?  Nah, it’s all right there on the internet and in the social networking world where nothing is sacred.

“They” tell you to be careful what you post as a student because colleges, grad schools and employers will check out those crazy photos you thought it would be fun to share with your buds.  But, those beyond those years or the witless still include information that, sometimes, can be very helpful to the inquiring lawyer on the other side of a case.  Courts are now having to deal with evidentiary questions, and report decisions on whether such information is admissible in court or not.  Even if it’s not substantive information relevant to your case, it can always go to the credibility of that witness.

“I solemly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me Google.”  Oh, and that applies to lawyers, too!

All your (virtual) base are belong to us!

Published by Jarred on February 7, 2008 in Legal Issues, Privacy, Security and Web 2.0. View Comments


Which one’s the terrorist?

Nick Carr blogs today about concern shown by American intelligence authorities about the security vulnerabilities of increasingly popular virtual worlds such as Second Life.  He cites this Washington Post article, which in turn quotes from a newly-issued paper from the “Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity”:

“Unfortunately, what started out as a benign environment where people would congregate to share information or explore fantasy worlds is now offering the opportunity for religious/political extremists to recruit, rehearse, transfer money, and ultimately engage in information warfare or worse with impunity.”

The article goes on to note that the CIA has already set up shop on some “private islands” in Second Life for “meetings and training.”  And then there’s this:

Virtual worlds could also become an actual battlefield. The intelligence community has begun contemplating how to use Second Life and other such communities as platforms for cyber weapons that could be used against terrorists or enemies, intelligence officials said. One analyst suggested beginning tests with so-called teams of cyber warfare experts.

As Keanu Reeves would say: “Whoa.”

Image used under a Creative Commons license courtesy of Flickr user Pathfinder Linden.

What is the Future of Music?

Published by Jarred on January 10, 2008 in Business, Consumer Behavior, Copyright, Culture, Legal Issues and Music. View Comments

radiohead.jpgThe music industry, if you haven’t heard, is undergoing some big time transformations. Late last year, Radiohead decided to self-release their new album. Online. For whatever price people wanted to pay. Including nothing. WTF, you ask? Indeed.

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke says in an interview with Wired that it was their manager’s idea, and that the band thought he was nuts. But they later realized that it not only worked out OK, but it was a little freeing as well.

Continue reading ‘What is the Future of Music?’