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Welcome to the MoFo Tech Blog

MoFo Tech brings together legal insights and in-depth analyses on trends and complex issues shaping the global technology industry, covering fields such as blockchain and distributed ledger, cloud and SaaS technologies, driverless cars, drones, FinTech, computer hardware and software, the IoT, semiconductors, and telecommunications.

October 08, 2019 - Privacy + Data Security, Blockchain, European Union
Why Blockchain is not inherently at odds with GDPR - Part 1
By: Lokke Moerel and Marijn Storm
“ In an almost direct clash of intentions, the GDPR has effectively banned the use of blockchain technology in Europe because of its immutable nature. ” – Forbes Summary The current perception is that blockchain is not compatible with GDPR. We disagree that this
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October 01, 2019 - Privacy + Data Security
Forget Me...or Not
By: Alex van der Wolk
In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Justice—Europe’s highest court—dealt Google a clear win by placing a territorial limit on the “right to be forgotten” in the EU. The court’s holding in Google v. Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés (CNIL) clarifies
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September 27, 2019 - Privacy + Data Security
Don’t Miss an Episode of Our New Video Series, Cracking the CCPA Code
By: Miriam H. Wugmeister
Need help distilling the CCPA and figuring out the nuances? Watch our new video series, Cracking the CCPA Code, as MoFo partners share foundational knowledge as well as advanced understanding of this legislation that will help you navigate its impact to your business. Each
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September 24, 2019 - Regulatory
Uncharted Territory: U.S. Antitrust Enforcement in the Technology Sector
By: Megan E. Gerking
Antitrust scrutiny of technology companies in the United States has reached an unprecedented level of intensity. In the last several months alone, (1) the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) each announced major investigations into digital platforms;
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September 23, 2019 - Privacy + Data Security
Effective October 1: Nevada “Do Not Sell” Requirements for Website Operators
By: Julie O'Neill
In just over a week, on October 1, 2019, key amendments to Nevada’s online privacy law will take effect. We previously detailed the amendments here. Julie O’Neill and Courtney Bowman of Morrison & Foerster’s Global Privacy + Data Security group provide a brief summary of
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September 17, 2019 - Privacy + Data Security
CCPA Taking Shape: Several Amendments Pass as California’s Legislative Session Comes to a Close
With the passage of several bills that would amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) in the final hours of California’s legislative session, businesses are one step closer to knowing what the law will look like when it becomes operative on January
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September 16, 2019 - Intellectual Property
Ninth Circuit’s LinkedIn Decision Does Not Greenlight the Unauthorized Webscraping of Public Websites
By: J. Alexander Lawrence
A recent decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a dispute between LinkedIn and hiQ Labs has spotlighted the thorny legal issues involved in unauthorized webscraping of data from public websites. While some may interpret the LinkedIn decision as greenlighting such activity,
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September 12, 2019 - Regulatory, Telecommunications
Challenges of a Mobile Workforce
Gone are the days that employees work from only one location from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. With employees traveling throughout the U.S., and in many instances, having some employees telecommuting, a company must be diligent. These mobile employees can give rise to potential
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September 10, 2019 - Privacy + Data Security
The Company Who Cried “General Audience”: Google and YouTube to Pay $170 Million for Alleged COPPA Violations
By: Julie O'Neill
Last week, the Federal Trade Commission made clear that child-directed parts of an otherwise general audience service will subject the operator of the service to COPPA. Just six months after the FTC’s record-setting settlement against TikTok, the FTC announced a $170 million fine against Google and its subsidiary
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September 03, 2019 - Regulatory, Artificial Intelligence, Intellectual Property
AI Patent Policy – Calling All Technology Practitioners
By: Anna Yuan and Karen G Potter Ph.D.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become one of the most disruptive technologies of our era. For many technology companies and startups, AI constitutes the core of their prized products, from autonomous vehicles to pick-and-place robots to voice assistants. With the rapid development of AI comes
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