Richard Chapo is an attorney focused on internet law who advises small and large companies about the ever-changing laws surrounding the internet. In a time where almost every business has an online aspect of it, it is crucial to understand some of the intricacies of navigating internet law. John and Richard discuss many different facets aspects of internet law on this fascinating podcast, ranging from copyright infringement, piracy, personal brand and marketing, and even Artificial Intelligence. Tune in to find out more!

 

Key Takeaways:

[:19] John introduces his guest for this episode — Richard Chapo.

[3:16] John believes the law is not something that is cut-and-dry, and binary; it is something that needs to be navigated. Richard shares his views on this idea.

[4:45] When dealing with the law, it’s really a matter of weighing outcomes, possible different bad outcomes. Richard shares an example that illustrates this from copyright infringement.

[7:34] The issue of ‘fair use’ is almost always subjective. How can businesses evaluate that moving forward?

[9:42] Small companies used to get off being pursued, but now with the internet, stricter control is necessary to cut down on blatant piracy. John and Richard discuss this issue with examples from the movie industry.

[16:11] How did Richard get started with internet law?

[20:10] One of the things that have really changed is the mentality of consumers — a lot of the younger generation are not as worried about personal privacy safety. Richard gives some examples of this from different industries.

[23:32] It is more and more important for companies to figure out what their business is, really, and identify their brand, and their comfort level with that brand.

[27:33] It’s important to have your legal documents in order, even though you may be operating in a purely online space — these documents can protect you.

[31:43] Dealing with the law may not be fun, but it’s just something that companies have to do, whether they like it or not.

[34:53] With regard to evaluating transgressions against the law, it is crucial to remember that on the internet, sharing is encouraged — people who do share illegal content, aren’t doing it maliciously.

[38:27] Richard and John discuss artificial intelligence and robots and their impact on the future.

[44:42] John and Richard talk about having a personal brand, the marketing involved and the money involved in using people as brands.

[49:37] Richard explains more about the concept of right to publicity, and how this highlights the fact that the web evolves faster than the law. The law is playing catch up with the web now.

[55:45] Another facet of the internet law deals with Section 230 (defamation) and the entire industry built around this — reviews.

[58:52] There are no real easy answers — things aren’t as binary as they are presented. Sometimes, it’s about picking the best option of worst options you have.

[1:02:35] Contact Richard via his website if you want to find out more about what he does and how he can help your business navigate internet law!

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Richard Chapo

The Last Blockbuster on Twitter

Silk Road