Cyberspace Law
Professor Eric Schlachter
Santa Clara University
School of Law
Spring 1997
MECHANICS
1. Class Meetings. The
course meets Thursdays from 7:45 to 9:25 in Bannan Hall Room 137. The first class meets January 16 and the
last class meets April 24. There will
be no class on March 6. The final exam
will be May 3.
2. Prerequisites. There are
no prerequisites other than the first year courses. Prior background in copyright law will make the Intellectual
Property section easier to understand.
A understanding of First Amendment law would also be helpful. If you do not have prior online experience,
you will need to spend significant time during the semester to obtain online
experience.
3. Grading. The
course will be graded solely on the final exam. The final exam will be between 2 and 2.5 hours long and will
consist of 2 or 3 questions. The exam
will emphasize real life situations and problems. Last year’s final exam and a high scoring answer are included in
the reader.
4. Papers. I would
be happy to facilitate your self-initiated papers and articles, within the
parameters of my time constraints and University regulations. I have included a list of possible topics in
the reader.
5. Email. Any
student who has not already done so should obtain an email account. I will attempt to establish a course email
list for class discussions. You are
encouraged to actively participate in the list. I reserve the right to make participation in the email list a
precondition to passing the course.
6. Professor Contact
Information.
Eric
Schlachter
Cooley
Godward LLP
5 Palo
Alto Square
3000 El
Camino Real
Palo
Alto, CA 94306
(415)
843-5154 (direct)
(415)
857-0663 (fax)
eschlach@netcom.com
READING MATERIALS
Required: Course
reader.
Recommended: Lance
Rose, NetLaw (1995).
Worth a
Look: Thomas Smedinghoff, Ed., Online Law: The SPA’s Legal Guide to Doing Business on the Internet
(1996).
THE MATERIALS INDICATED WITH A STAR [*] CONTAIN
LANGUAGE OR TEXTUAL DESCRIPTIONS THAT SOME MAY FIND OFFENSIVE. PLEASE CONSULT WITH THE INSTRUCTOR IF YOU
ARE CONCERNED OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
1. Introduction to
Cyberspace. (January 16 to 23)
ACLU v.
Reno, 929 F. Supp. 824 (E.D. Pa. June
11, 1996), points 1-123. p. 7.
Shea v.
Reno, 930 F. Supp. 916 (S.D.N.Y. July 29, 1996), Findings of Fact. p. 29.
Kevin
Savetz, The Mystery of Misc.misc, Internet World, August 1996 at 82. p. 38.
Eric
Schlachter, Generating Revenues from
Websites, Boardwatch, July
1995. p. 39.
Rosalind
Resnick, AdTech ‘96: Is Banner
Advertising Dead?, Interactive
Publishing Alert, July 1, 1996.
p. 46.
Hunter
Madsen, Reclaim the Deadzone, Wired, December 1996 at 206. p. 49.
2. Online
Transactions and Contracts. (January 30)
ProCD v. Zeidenberg, 89 F.3d
1257 (7th Cir. 1996). p. 54.
Tom Steinert-Threlkeld, The Buck Starts Here, Wired, August 1996 at 132. p. 61.
Cross reference: CompuServe
v. Patterson, Daniel v. Dow Jones, Tierney and Email America.
3. Jurisdiction and Venue. (January 30 and February 6)
Minnesota
Office of the Attorney General, Memorandum regarding Internet Jurisdiction
(July 1995). p. 69.
Inset
Systems, Inc. v. Instructional Set, Inc., 937 F. Supp. 16 (D. Conn. April 17,
1996). p. 73.
CompuServe,
Incorporated v. Patterson, 1996 FED App. 0228P (6th Cir. July 22, 1996). p. 79.
Maritz,
Inc. v. CyberGold, Inc., 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14978 (E.D. Mo. August 19,
1996). p. 90.
Bensusan
Restaurant Corp. v. King, 937 F. Supp. 295 (S.D.N.Y. September 9, 1996). p. 99.
Panavision
International, L.P. v. Toeppen, 938 F. Supp. 616 (C.D. Cal. Sept. 19,
1996). p. 106.
Edias
Software International LLC v. Basis International Ltd., 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS
18279 (D. Az. Nov. 19, 1996). p. 113.
US v.
Thomas, 1996 FED App. 0032P (6th Cir. 1996).
p. 124.
Playboy
Enterprises, Inc. v. Chuckleberry Publishing, Inc., 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8435
(S.D.N.Y. June 19, 1996). p. 132.
Suggested
Pres-Kap,
Inc. v. System One, Direct Access, Inc., 636 So.2d 1351 (Fla. App. 1994). p. 142.
Krantz
v. Air Line Pilot Association, 245 Va. 202 (1993) [not in reader].
California
Software Inc. v. Reliability Research, Inc., 631 F. Supp. 1356 (C.D. Cal. 1986)
[not in reader].
4. Online Information Torts. (February
13)
Defamation
Dun
& Bradstreet, Inc. v. Greenmoss Builders, Inc., 472 U.S. 749 (1985). p. 145.
It’s In
the Cards v. Fuschetto, 535 N.W.2d 11 (Wis. Ct. App. 1995). p. 156.
Suggested:
Rindos v. Hardwick, no. 1994 of 1993 (W. Austrl. Sup. Ct. March 31, 1994) [not
in reader].
Cross
reference: Edias Software v. Basis, Krantz v. Air Line Pilots, Cubby v.
CompuServe, Stratton Oakmont v. Prodigy.
Rights
of Publicity/Privacy
Stern
v. Delphi, 626 N.Y.S.2d 694 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1995). p. 159.
Complaint
in Louder v. CompuServe, California Superior Court (July 5, 1996). p. 166.
Dissemination
of Inaccurate Information
Daniel v. Dow Jones & Co., 520 N.Y.S. 2d 334
(N.Y. Civ. Ct. 1987). p. 174.
Harassment
[*] U.S. v. Baker, 890 F. Supp.
1375 (E.D. Mich. 1995). p. 180.
Suggested: Internet America Inc. v. Massey (Tex.
Dallas County Dist. Ct. Oct. 14, 1996).
p. 191.
5. Obscenity, Pornography
and Child Pornography. (February
20)
NetLaw,
Chapter 8.
Miller
v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973). p.
194.
Stanley
v. Georgia, 399 U.S. 557 (1969). p.
201.
[*] F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation,
438 U.S. 726 (1978). p. 206.
Sable
Communications of California, Inc. v. F.C.C., 492 U.S. 115 (1989). p. 229.
Communications
Decency Act of 1995. p. 238.
ACLU v.
Reno, 929 F. Supp. 824 (E.D. Pa. June
11, 1996), Conclusions of Law. p. 245.
Shea v.
Reno, 930 F. Supp. 916 (S.D.N.Y. July 29, 1996). p. 286.
Cross
reference: US v. Thomas, Smith v. California, US v. Baker.
Suggested
US v.
Maxwell, 42 M.J. 568 (U.S. Air Force Ct. Crim. App. April 28, 1995) [not in
reader].
Regina
v. Pecciarich, 22 O.R. (3d) 748 (Ontario Ct. Provincial Division April 6, 1995)
[not in reader].
US v.
Chapman, 60 F.3d 894 (1st Cir. 1995) [not in reader].
NetLaw,
Appendices G and H.
6. Trademarks and Domain
Names. (February 27)
Dan L.
Burk, Trademarks on the Infobahn: A First
Look at the Emerging Law of Cybermarks, Richmond
Journal of Law & Technology, Volume 1, Issue 1 (1995). p. 310.
NSI
Domain Name Dispute Policy (September 1996).
p. 329.
Robert
Cannon, NSI Implements New Internet
Domain Name Policy, FCBA News,
November 1996. p. 334.
Intermatic
Inc. v. Toeppen, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14878 (N.D. Ill. October 3, 1996). p. 337.
Hasbro
v. Internet Entertainment Group, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11626 (W.D. Wash.
February 9, 1996). p. 354.
Comp
Examiner Agency v. Juris, 1996 WL 376600 (C.D. Cal. April 26, 1996). p.
356.
Actmedia,
Inc. v. Active Media Int’l, Inc., 1996 WL 399707 (N.D. Ill. July 12,
1996). p. 358.
American
Standard v. Toeppen, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14451 (C.D. Ill. Sept. 3,
1996). p. 360.
Toys
‘R’ Us v. Akkaoui, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17090 (N.D. Cal. October 29,
1996). p. 362.
Suggested:
MTV Networks v. Curry, 867 F. Supp. 202 (S.D.N.Y. 1994). p. 368.
Cross
reference: Inset v. Instructional Set, CompuServe v. Patterson, Maritz v.
CyberGold, Bensusan v. King, Panavision v. Toeppen, Playboy v. Chuckleberry
Publishing.
7. Copyright, Trade Secrets and Patents. (March
13 to 20)
Scheduled
guest speaker on March 13: Neil A. Smith, Limbach & Limbach.
NetLaw,
Chapter 3.
17
U.S.C. §106, 107. p. 375.
Sony
Corp. v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 464 U.S. 417 (1984). p. 377.
Feist
Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Company, 499 U.S. 340 (1991). p. 394.
Religious
Technology Center v. F.A.C.T.Net, 901 F. Supp. 1519 (D. Colo. September 15,
1995). p. 406.
U.S. v.
LaMacchia, 871 F. Supp. 535 (D. Mass. 1994).
p. 414.
Suggested:
The Shetland
Times Ltd. v. Wills, Court of Sessions, Edinburgh, October 24, 1996. p. 425.
John
Perry Barlow, Selling Wine Without
Bottles: the Economy of Mind on the Global Net (a.k.a. The Economy of Ideas), Wired,
March 1994 at 85. p. 429.
Esther
Dyson, Intellectual Value, Wired, July 1995 at 136. p. 444.
Lance
Rose, The Emperor’s Clothes Still Fit
Just Fine, Wired, February
1995 at 103. p. 452.
Eric
Schlachter, Cache-22, Intellectual Property Magazine, Summer
1996. p. 456.
Suggested
Terry
Carroll, Copyright FAQ (see
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/Copyright-FAQ/top.html) [not
in reader].
IITF
White Paper (September 1995) (gopher://ntiant1.ntia.doc.gov/00/papers/documents/files/ipnii.txt) [not
in reader].
Cross
reference: Playboy v. Frena, Sega v. MAPHIA, Religious Technology Center v.
Netcom, Scientology v. Providers.
8. Access, Editorial Control and Sysop Liability. (March
27 and April 3)
Scheduled
Guest Speaker on April 3: Lisa Gerhauser, General Counsel, HotWired
NetLaw,
Chapters 1 and 4.
Eric
Schlachter, Electronic Networks and
Computer Bulletin Boards: Developing a Legal Regime to Fit the Technology
(Spring 1994). p. 461.
Smith
v. California, 361 U.S. 147 (1959). p.
466.
Miami
Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974). p. 475.
Cross
reference: FCC v. Pacifica, Sable v FCC.
Cubby
v. CompuServe, 776 F. Supp. 135 (S.D.N.Y. 1991). p. 485.
Stratton
Oakmont v. Prodigy, 1995 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 229 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. May 24,
1995). p. 494.
Communications
Decency Act, Section 230 Legislative Findings.
p. 500.
Cross
reference: It’s In the Cards v. Fuschetto.
Playboy
Enterprises v. Frena, 839 F. Supp. 1552 (M.D. Fla. 1993). p. 501.
Sega
Enterprises Ltd. v. MAPHIA, 857 F. Supp. 679 (N.D. Cal. 1994). p. 511.
Religious
Technology Center v. Netcom On-Line Communication Services, Inc., 907 F. Supp.
1361 (N.D. Cal. November 21, 1995). p.
522.
Suggested:
Scientology v. Providers, District Court of the Hague (March 12, 1996). p. 543.
Cross
reference: US v. LaMacchia.
Cyber
Promotions, Inc. v. America Online, Inc., 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16237 (E.D. Pa.
November 4, 1996). p. 549.
Suggested
Eric
Schlachter, Cyberspace, the Free Market
and the Free Marketplace of Ideas: Recognizing Legal Differences in Computer
Bulletin Board Functions, 16 Hastings
COMM/ENT 87 (1993) (see
http://www.eff.org/pub/Legal/cyberlaw_bbs_free_market.article) [Not in reader].
9. Anonymity and Spam. (April
10)
McIntyre
v. Ohio Elections Commission, 115 S. Ct. 1511 (1995). p. 560.
Georgia
H.B. No. 1630. p. 566.
Lance
Rose, Anonymity Online: Its Value, and
Its Social Costs, Boardwatch,
June 1995 at 100. p. 569.
Concentric
Network Corp., Inc. v. Wallace (N.D. Cal. November 4, 1996) (Declaration). p. 574.
CompuServe
Incorporated v. Cyber Promotions, Inc. (S.D. Ohio, October 24, 1996)
(TRO). p. 576.
Suggested:
Tierney and Email America, Virtual Magistrate Project Docket No. 96-0001 (May
20, 1996). p. 578.
Cross
reference: Cyber Promo v. AOL.
10. ECPA and Computer Crimes. (April
17)
NetLaw,
Chapters 5, 6 and 7.
Steve
Jackson Games, Inc. v. U.S. Secret Service, 816 F. Supp. 432 (W.D. Texas
1993). p. 581.
Affirmed
36 F.3d 457 (5th Cir. 1994). p. 591.
18
U.S.C. §1030. p. 600.
U.S. v.
Morris, 928 F.2d 504 (2d Cir. 1991). p.
605.
U.S. v.
Riggs, 743 F. Supp. 556 (N.D. Ill. 1990).
p. 613.
Suggested
NetLaw,
Appendices B, D and E.
11. Other Resources.
Spring
1996 Exam with Sample Answer and High Scoring Answer. p. 618.
Cyberspace
Legal Topics (October 1996). p. 643.
Web
Hosting Agreement (Provider-oriented) (November 1995). p. 649.
Web
Hosting Agreement (Customer-oriented) (September 1996). p. 655.
Web
Advertising Agreement (May 1996). p.
663.
Smiley
Dictionary. p. 671.