Entertainment Law, Media Law and Telecoms Law

The Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance (“HWPO”), passed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, became operative April 1, 2026 and its housekeeping training requirements take effect on October 1, 2026.

The Third Circuit (Cornish-Adebiyi v. Caesars Entertainment, Inc.) has now joined the Ninth Circuit (Gibson v. Cendyn Group, LLC) in evaluating dismissal of claims by casino hotel guests...

The Third Circuit's reversal in Cornish-Adebiyi v. Caesars Entertainment marks a pivotal moment in antitrust law, becoming the first federal appellate court to allow algorithmic price-fixing claims to proceed past dismissal. How does this decision differ from the Ninth Circuit's ruling in Gibson v. Cendyn Group, and what specific allegations about AI-enabled pricing tools proved decisive in establishing a plausible horizontal agreement among Atlantic City casino-hotels?

When outdoor apparel giant Patagonia sued drag queen and climate activist Pattie Gonia over trademark infringement, the case ignited a firestorm of public backlash that transcended legal boundaries. This dispute examines how trademark enforcement collides with cultural expression in the drag community, where performers traditionally adopt playful names referencing established brands, and explores the delicate balance between protecting intellectual property rights and maintaining brand reputation

Generative AI is reshaping the entertainment industry, raising critical questions about copyright ownership of AI-generated works, the legality of training models on copyrighted materials, and whether existing laws adequately protect artists. This analysis examines landmark cases like Thaler v. Perlmutter, explores the fair use debate surrounding AI training datasets, and reviews emerging state and federal legislation designed to safeguard creative rights in an AI-driven landscape.

The Protect College Sports Act is advancing through the US Senate, but critical questions remain unresolved that could fundamentally reshape college athletics. While the legislation addresses conference realignment and antitrust concerns, it leaves three pivotal issues undecided: whether student-athletes should be classified as employees, how Title IX applies to revenue-sharing payments, and whether international athletes on F-1 visas can legally receive such payments.

Washington has recently seen an influx of class actions premised on alleged violations of the state’s Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA). The ubiquity of email marketing campaigns has dragged the statute out of obscurity and propelled it to popularity with the plaintiffs’ bar.

The Federal Trade Commission is exploring whether digital platforms should bear greater responsibility for preventing impersonation ads that falsely pose as legitimate businesses or government agencies. Through an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the agency seeks public input on potential amendments to its existing Impersonation Rule, examining how ad-optimization tools and platform practices...

A federal court in Washington recently dismissed a case against Tommy Bahama involving allegedly deceptive email subject lines, finding that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate concrete harm required for Article III standing. In an unusual twist, both the plaintiff and the defendant argued that misleading email headers could cause actual consumer harm, yet the court remained unconvinced and remanded the case to state court.

California has enacted the nation's most comprehensive online child safety legislation, banning addictive social media features for minors under 16, establishing strict companion chatbot regulations, and imposing enhanced civil penalties for platforms that harm children. Companies operating social media platforms or chatbots accessible to California children must now assess their products, audit features, and prepare compliance programs ahead of the laws' effective dates.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed sweeping legislation restricting addictive social media features for minors and establishing safety requirements for AI companion chatbots. The laws target design features that keep users scrolling rather than just content moderation, marking a significant shift in online child-safety regulation.

The Fifth Circuit has rejected the Ninth Circuit's "server test" for copyright infringement in embedded content cases, establishing a new "transmit requirement" standard that examines where content originates and whether transmission was authorized. While reaching similar practical outcomes, this transmission-focused approach creates new considerations for publishers and aggregators regarding technical controls, server configurations, and content sourcing practices.