Flash Digest: News in Brief

By Michelle Sohn

Northern District of California Court Strikes Down National Security Letter Statute

Social Media Added Fuel to the Fire in Stuebenville Rape Case

Presidential Commission Concludes Anthrax Vaccine Testing on Children Unethical without Further Research

Iceland Considers Internet Pornography Ban
By Charlie Stiernberg – Edited by Sarah Jeong

The Associated Press reports that authorities in Iceland are considering a proposal by Interior Minister Ögmundur Jónason to ban pornography on the Internet. Pornography has been illegal in the country for decades, but the law is vague and therefore seldom enforced. The new proposal would not create any new restrictions, but it would reinforce existing law by expressly defining “pornography” as material with violent or degrading content.

Executive Order Promotes Public-Private Collaboration to Protect Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threat
By Jessica Vosgerchian — Edited by Ashish Bakshi

Executive Order 13636—Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity

On February 12, President Obama signed an Executive Order to increase information sharing between government agencies and private companies regarding cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure. The order mandates the delivery of classified reports to infrastructure companies that are likely targets of cyber attacks.

Flash Digest: News in Brief

By Kathleen McGuinness

Congress Passes Symbolic Resolution: “No UN Control of the Internet”

Supreme Court Will Hear Case on the Legality of Pay-for-Delay Practices

Preliminary PTO Finding Invalidates Key Apple Multitouch Patent

Fifth Circuit Says First Amendment May Protect Domain Names

Gibson v. Texas Dep’t of Ins. – Div. of Workers’ Comp.
By Michael Hoven – Edited by Daniella Adler

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part the Northern District of Texas, which had dismissed John Gibson’s claim that a Texas law barring him from using the words “Texas” and “workers’ compensation” or “workers’ comp.” in his domain name violated the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments.