The Legal Battle Brewing Over LBS and Privacy
Anxiety is rising over the use of location-based services as tools for advertising to consumers. Surveys suggest that consumers see value in LBS, but they are concerned about their privacy. This means LBS providers must walk a tightrope in providing both privacy options and value to consumers…
Paid Content – Income Source or Booby Trap? 5 Tips for Getting it Right
Last week, we alerted our readers that the Federal Trade Commission was cracking down paid endorsements and advertorials that appear as if they are objective news content. This week, we review some steps hyperlocal publishers can take to provide transparency between editorial content, and content paid for by advertisers…
Pending IP Laws Could Squeeze Hyperlocal News Sites
Two new bills in Congress designed to combat rogue sites selling counterfeit goods or distributing copyright-infringing content (like movies) may put a squeeze on hyperlocal news sites, strangle innovation, and impede free speech and investment in start-ups, according to experts at Stanford University and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Drawing the Line on Advertorial Content for Hyperlocals
One way to boost revenue for a hyperlocal news site may be to supplement editorial content with paid content — such as advertorials, sponsored reviews, or endorsements. But a hyperlocal publisher who takes this path may walk into a legal landmine unless they’re completely transparent in distinguishing its editorial content from its paid content…
Court Says Blogger Isn’t a ‘Journalist’ — Implications for Hyperlocal
A federal judge in Portland, Oregon has declared that a local “investigative blogger,” doesn’t qualify as a journalist — calling into question whether online hyperlocal news publishers should be treated differently than traditional media.