Handbook of Social Media and the Law

Billions of minutes a month are spent globally on social media. This raises not only serious legal issues, but also, has a clear impact on everyday commercial activity.

This unique book is the first to consider the significant legal developments that have arisen due to social media. The author provides an expert explanation of the issues that practitioners and businesses need to consider, and which special measures are required in order to minimise their exposure to risk. This book is highly practical, and not only explores the law related to social media, but also provides the reader with useful aids, such as flow charts, checklists and case studies.

The book explains the various categories and channels of social media and the legal classification of social networks. The book considers social media in the context of human rights law and the implications this has had upon the development of the civil and criminal law when pursuing a civil remedy or criminal prosecution in relation to online speech. The book covers the Defamation Act 2013, the Communications Act 2003, the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Contempt of Court Act 1988 among other key issues such as seeking Injunctions and the privacy implications this raises.

The author also pays careful consideration to the commercial aspects raised by social media, and the reader will find discussions by reference to key cases, regulatory guidance notes and statutes of the issues arising under the Data Protection Act 1998 (including the draft Data Protection Regulation), user Privacy, Human Rights, Trading and Advertising Standards, the special rules for FCA Regulated Bodies and Social Media Insurance.

This book will be an invaluable guide for private practice and in-house practitioners, business professionals, academics and post-graduate students.