Virtual Legality

With GameStop continuing its stock market roller coaster ride and more and more short sellers taking a bath, it is no surprise that the impetus behind it all, subreddit "wallstreetbets", is facing more scrutiny than ever.

But with more scrutiny comes a higher likelihood that technology platforms will use the inherent vagueness of their terms against their users, which appears to be just what Discord and Reddit have elected to do.

It's Bets, Boots, and Bots today...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/OSVVJVm8IIE

#GameStop #Stock #WallStreetBets

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HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL

PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality

STREAMLABS: https://streamlabs.com/richardhoeg

STORE: https://teespring.com/stores/hoeg-law-store

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Discussed in this episode:

"Power to the Players: Reddit and the GameStop Stock Explosion (VL398)"

YouTube Video - January 25, 2021 - Hoeg Law

https://youtu.be/TjiurSx42yA

"BREAKING: Discord tells me they've shut down the WallStreetBets server..."

Tweet - January 27, 2021 - Hannah Murphy

https://twitter.com/HoegLaw/status/1354576436678569986

"Discord bans the r/WallStreetBets server"

The Verge - January 27, 2021

https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/27/22253251/discord-bans-the-r-wallstreetbets-server

Discord Terms of Service

Updated May 7, 2020

https://discord.com/terms

Discord Community Guidelines

Updated May 19, 2020

https://discord.com/guidelines

"A Fight Over GameStop’s Soaring Stock Turns Ugly"

Wired - January 25, 2021

https://www.wired.com/story/gamestop-stock-wall-street-bets-short-squeeze/

"Well, to be fair to people, you kind of walk right into those theories..."

Tweet - January 27, 2021 - Hoeg Law

https://twitter.com/HoegLaw/status/1354572412139020291

"wallstreetbets subreddit just went private"

Tweet - January 27, 2021 - Rod Breslau

https://twitter.com/Slasher/status/1354576058687893507

"r/WallStreetBets has been made private"

The Verge - January 27, 2021

https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/27/22253339/reddit-wallstreetbets-subreddit-private-gamestop

"Lot of ppl were....breaking SEC guidelines..."

Tweet - January 27, 2021 - Punished Daniel

https://twitter.com/BadHombreDaniel/status/1354577006768381954

Reddit User Agreement

Updated September 15, 2020

https://www.redditinc.com/policies/user-agreement-october-15-2020

Reddit Content Policy

https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy

"GameStop stock up 135% in 24 hours, Biden administration 'monitoring the situation'"

Game Industry Biz - January 27, 2021

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-01-27-gamestop-stock-up-135-percent-in-24-hours-biden-administration-monitoring-the-situation

"Registration requirements for securities"

15 USC 78l (subsection (k))

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/78l

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"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twitter: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

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(0:00) Introduction

(2:01) Robinhood and its Customer Agreement

(10:04) What is the Purpose of the SEC?

(14:05) Regulation D and Accredited Investors - A Case Study

(23:43) Conclusion - A Rock and a Hard Place

It's Episode 400 of Virtual Legality! Today we look at a question some have asked in the wake of the "chain letter" like "Community" posts popping up all over YouTube (including on this very channel), designed around exposing a potential weighting problem in the YouTube algorithm as identified by YouTuber - The Spiffing Brit.

But do YouTubers who advance such a post have anything to worry about under the law?

Let's dive in.

We might just have to add "spiffing" to our vocabulary...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/fSqf522zjwQ

#YouTube #glitch #algorithm

***

HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL

PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality

STREAMLABS: https://streamlabs.com/richardhoeg

STORE: https://teespring.com/stores/hoeg-law-store

***

Discussed in this episode:

"The Youtube Algorithm Glitch (The Secret Youtube Exploit) - YOUTUBE IS A PERFECTLY BALANCED WEBSITE"

YouTube Video - January 25, 2021 - The Spiffing Brit

https://youtu.be/Ej0Kijd4_4Q

The Spiffing Brit Community Page

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSpiffingBrit/community

YouTube "Terms of Service"

Updated November 18, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/static?template=terms

"Circumvention of copyright protection systems"

17 USC 1201

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/1201

"Introduction to Contract Damages"

California Jury Instructions

https://www.justia.com/trials-litigation/docs/caci/300/350/

"UNLAWFUL CONTRACTS"

California Civil Code Section 1667

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?division=3.&part=2.&lawCode=CIV&title=4.

"NATURE OF A CONTRACT/Conset"

California Civil Code Section 1572

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1572.

"Damages for Wrongs"

California Civil Code Section 3333

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&division=4.&title=2.&part=1.&chapter=2.&article=2.

"Exemplary Damages"

California Civil Code Section 3294

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=3294.

"Spam, deceptive practices, & scams policies"

YouTube Community Guidelines

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2801973?hl=en&ref_topic=9282365

***

"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twitter: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

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(0:00) Intro

(2:02) Ninjas Right

(8:47) Responsibility

(12:15) Politifact

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(0:00) Introduction

(1:30) Support for Virtual Legality

(2:09) Donations and Tips

(6:11) The Problem

(8:52) Microsofts Response

(14:15) Xbox Live Gold Prices

(16:37) Corporate Messaging

(16:48) Worst Messaging of the Year

(18:29) Outro

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(0:00) Intro

(1:03) Xbox Wire Blog Post

(4:59) Bad Messaging

(11:39) Hiding the Ball

(14:43) Xbox Game Pass

(16:31) Virtual Legality

(20:25) Outro

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(0:00) Introduction

(3:23) The Court's Overview

(13:25) Parler is NOT Likely to Win its Antitrust Claim

(18:26) Parler is NOT Likely to Win its Breach Claim

(22:09) Parler is NOT Likely to Win its Tort Claim

(24:20) Parler MAY be Irreparably Harmed

(27:51) A NInth Circuit Look at Serious Questions and Hardships

(30:14) Editorializing on Equities and the Public

(34:19) Conclusion