The Citizen Media Law Project provides legal training and resources for individuals and organizations involved in citizen media. more >
Co-sponsored by the Center for Citizen Media and the Berkman Center’s Clinical Program in Cyberlaw, the Citizen Media Law Project (CMLP) is a new organization aimed at providing legal training and resources for individuals and organizations involved in citizen media.
Some of the things we are working on include:
Legal guide for citizen media and legal threats database
The CMLP is creating a legal guide that will cover a range of topics relevant to citizen journalists. It also seeks to address legal subjects relevant to citizen media such as risks associated with online publication, including discussion of defamation and privacy torts; legal issues related to newsgathering; intellectual property issues; and special risks associated with covering elections.
Legal and journalism education
The CMLP is currently working with the City University of New York’s Graduate School of Journalism to provide legal expertise for the creation of an interactive online legal guide to teach citizen journalists their legal rights and responsibilities.
Litigation referrals, consultation, and representation
Lawyers and clinical law students at the CMLP will provide legal advice to individuals and organizations that operate citizen media sites.
Advocacy and coalition building
The CMLP provides research and advocacy on free speech, newsgathering, intellectual property, and other legal issues related to citizen media. One of our first projects is to cultivate support for a federal shield bill.
Cape Cod blogger sued for libel
The Citizen Media Law Project provides detailed analysis of the case of Peter Robbins, of the Robbins Report blog, which raises "a host of interesting questions" concerning Massachusetts' anti-SLAPP and retraction statutes and related issues...
5 sep 2008
Fellow Tuna Chatterjee discusses MBTA v. Anderson on Lawyer2Lawyer
California Court Warns Copyright Bullies Not to Ignore Fair Use
From the Citizen Media Law Project blog... A federal district court in California held on Wednesday that copyright owners must consider fair use before sending DMCA takedown notices to avoid liability for abuse of the law's procedures.
25 aug 2008
The Citizen Media Law Project on Understanding Your Legal Risks When You Blog or Publish Online
From the Citizen Media Law Project blog...Over the next few weeks I'll be posting about various topics we cover in the CMLP's Citizen Media Legal Guide...Today, I'll start with the risks associated with publishing online...
5 aug 2008
Berkman Buzz: Week of July 28, 2008
Phorm, advocacy journalism, body slams and more...in this week's BUZZ!
1 aug 2008
Citizen Media Law Project Legal Guide: final sections now live
From the Citizen Media Law Project blog... Today, we are launching the final sections of the Citizen Media Law Project's online guide to media law covering the risks associated with publishing online, including defamation and privacy law...
29 jul 2008
Citizen Media Law Project Completes Launch of Online Guide to Media Law
The Citizen Media Law Project (CMLP) announced today that it has completed the launch of its Citizen Media Legal Guide. The free guide, which is intended for use by bloggers, website operators, and other citizen media creators, focuses on the legal issues that non-traditional and traditional journalists are likely to encounter as they gather information and publish their work online.
29 jul 2008
District Court spanks Michael Savage suit
From the Citizen Media Law Project blog... In a huge victory for freedom of speech, on Friday a federal district court in California dismissed conservative talk show host Michael Savage’s lawsuit against the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)...
28 jul 2008
Berkman Buzz: Week of July 7, 2008
Fair use, Darfur, blogging in Iran and more...and in this week's BUZZ
11 jul 2008
Iranian parliament moving toward death penalty for blogging on certain topics
From the Citizen Media Law Project... Online free speech has never been well received by the Iranian government, but now Tehran is just one step away from making blogging on certain topics into a capital crime.
10 jul 2008
