For as comfortable as many people are using social networks, clicking the ‘I Agree’ button flippantly, and uploading content of all different kinds, it is always good to have a reminder of the how new this stuff really is and how much lawyering has gone on behind the scenes to make it all possible.
Organizations are still trying to get a handle on how they handle social media and to see that progression is exciting. Just this week, the NFL announced that they would allow players to tweet during the Pro Bowl, a practice that wouldn’t be allowed under normal rules. (Players cannot tweet 2 hours before game time or during games.)
I think more organizations need to embrace social media and view it as an opportunity, rather than something they need to protect themselves from. The NFL recognizes that a more engaged fan base, one that is closer with it’s players, means better business for them.
Social media and the internet in general, scored a huge victory with the shelving of SOPA and PIPA, another example of how social media can help bring people together and effectively voice concerns. Industries of all kinds could benefit by properly embracing the power of social media and today’s infographic from Morrison and Foerster that shows the law behind how all that we do on social networks has been made possible thus far.
It is a great look at how law regarding social networks has progressed in (if you think about it) a very short time.
