Entertainment Law, Media Law and Telecoms Law

Highway Contract Route carriers and brokers operating in the USPS surface transportation network face critical legal developments in 2026, including the Supreme Court's Montgomery v. Caribe decision eliminating federal preemption for negligent-selection claims and the ongoing nuclear verdict crisis with jury awards exceeding $10 million. These developments demand heightened attention to compliance, documentation, and risk management strategies to protect against significant liability exposure in today's tru

The Department of Justice’s new National Fraud Enforcement Division (“NFED”) has told the market exactly where it intends to focus: (1) public trust and financial integrity, (2) health care, (3) internal revenue, (4) global trade and commerce, and (5) corporate misconduct. NFED plans to target these five priorities in parallel under one roof with a shared data infrastructure, compounding the risk to companies that operate at the intersection of multiple priorities and raising the stakes for any company considering a voluntary self-disclosure of potential misconduct.

When a legal research startup trained its AI on lawyer memos derived from Westlaw's editorial summaries, it sparked a landmark copyright case that exposes how artificial intelligence extracts not just content, but the accumulated judgment and authority publishers spent decades building. As Google referral traffic plummets and AI-generated content farms proliferate, the question shifts from "was a copy made?" to "was the expert ever hired?"

A federal jury's $9.25 million verdict against The New York Times for falsely placing a college basketball player at a murder scene reveals how inadequate verification of anonymous sources, ignored editorial safeguards, and dismissal of credible denials can establish actual malice. The historic decision—the first defamation verdict against the Times in over 50 years—demonstrates that involvement in a newsworthy event does not automatically make someone a public figure, and that a publisher's pos

As digital influencers increasingly incorporate copyrighted music, video clips, and images into their content, the legal boundaries of fair use have become critically important. This analysis examines the four-factor fair use test and reveals common misconceptions that put content creators at risk of copyright infringement. Understanding these legal principles is essential for influencers who monetize their content through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate links.

California and New York have enacted laws requiring disclosure when AI-generated performers appear in advertisements, while SAG-AFTRA negotiated contract language limiting studios' use of synthetic actors. These developments mirror consent and disclosure frameworks that have governed telecommunications and privacy law for years, raising questions about whether opt-out regimes or upfront consent models provide more effective protection.

The U.S. Senate has passed the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act, legislation that would fundamentally reshape college athletics by establishing federal rules governing NIL compensation, athlete representation, transfers, and eligibility while granting the NCAA significant antitrust protection. This comprehensive framework could provide universities with greater regulatory certainty but may substantially limit the legal tools athletes have used to challenge NCAA restrictions...

The U.S. Senate has passed the Protect College Sports Act with overwhelming bipartisan support, establishing a potential national framework for college athletics that addresses NIL compensation, antitrust protections, and revenue-sharing. Key amendments include raising the power-conference cap to 20 members, shortening the conference realignment lookback period, and requiring foreign funding disclosure.

The Senate has passed the Protect College Sports Act by a bipartisan vote of 77-22, marking Congress's most ambitious attempt to regulate college athletics since the NIL era began. This landmark legislation would restore NCAA enforcement powers, codify athlete revenue sharing, establish federal oversight of NIL deals, and create a comprehensive national framework to replace the current patchwork of state laws and litigation that has governed college sports since the Supreme Court's decision in NCAA v. Alsto

The Federal Trade Commission is exploring whether to update its impersonation rules to address how digital platforms' ad-optimization tools may be enabling scammers to impersonate legitimate businesses and government agencies. With consumers reporting nearly $3.5 billion in losses from imposter scams in 2025, the FTC is soliciting public comment on potential new regulations that would require platforms to take concrete steps to prevent fraudulent ads from reaching consumers.

Lululemon's recent trademark registration of "LULULEMON DUPE" and litigation against Costco reveal how premium brands are adapting intellectual property strategies to address the billion-view social media...

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 1130 into law, eliminating the penalty exemption for paid influencers who violate political advertising disclosure requirements. The new law, effective January 1, 2027, establishes joint and several liability between paid content creators and campaign committees for violations, fundamentally changing enforcement mechanisms for online political advertising compliance.