United States: Media & Entertainment Law

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.

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

A recent federal court decision challenges the conventional understanding of how Section 230 immunity and First Amendment protections apply to social media algorithms. When platforms use algorithms to curate user content, do they lose both legal shields, or does rejecting First Amendment protection mean Section 230 immunity should apply?

From digital sampling battles to AI-generated music, copyright law has consistently arrived late to technological disruption in the music industry. This examination traces landmark litigation across sampling, streaming, and artificial intelligence, revealing how rights holders have repeatedly shaped legal frameworks through strategic action rather than waiting for legislative solutions.

Starting September 15, 2026, foreign journalists working in the United States will face a fundamental shift in immigration rules, replacing decades of "duration of status" admissions with fixed periods of no more than 240 days. Media organizations employing foreign correspondents must now develop comprehensive tracking systems and extension protocols to manage what has become a significantly more complex compliance landscape. The new requirements affect both incoming journalists and those already working in

RSL Media has introduced the Human Consent Standard, a machine-readable protocol allowing individuals to declare whether AI systems may use their creative works, identity, likeness, voice, characters, or marks. While endorsed by major entertainment industry figures and organizations, the voluntary standard's effectiveness depends on pending federal legislation like the NO FAKES Act, voluntary adoption by AI developers, and its ability to withstand contractual pressures that could undermine its protective fu

The Federal Communications Commission has reached a settlement with iHeartMedia over allegations of illegal payola practices, where musical artists performed at station events for free or reduced compensation in exchange for favorable airplay without proper disclosure to listeners. This enforcement action reinforces the FCC's longstanding requirement that broadcasters must disclose when content has been paid for and identify who provided the consideration.

FIFA's mandatory hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup have generated an estimated $250 million in U.S. advertising revenue while fundamentally altering game dynamics and competitive balance. The policy, framed as player welfare but creating unprecedented commercial inventory in soccer broadcasting, has sparked debate over whether financial pressures will permanently reshape one of sport's last uninterrupted formats. Coaches now exploit these breaks as tactical timeouts, raising questions about fairness an