Tag:Digital Content Regulation
Slack, Teams, and WhatsApp: The Expanding Scope of Business Records in Digital Communication
The definition of a “business record” has evolved significantly in response to the proliferation of digital communication platforms. Historically, organizations focused on formal documentation, such as emails, signed contracts, and official reports, as the primary sources of recordkeeping. However, the widespread adoption of real-time messaging tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and WhatsApp has fundamentally altered how business decisions are communicated and documented. Messages that include approvals, negotiations, instructions, or the exchange of sensitive information may all qualify as business records. Consequently, organizations must broaden their conceptualization of recordkeeping to include informal and semi-formal communication channels alike, as technology and record keeping mechanisms are quickly expanding.
Regulating Minors in Digital Spaces
With the digital age, young children are gaining access to social media accounts. Child influencers are being put into the spotlight before they can understand the impact a lack of privacy can have on their lives. Children cannot meaningfully consent to having a digital footprint, states have a compelling interest in regulating child participation online. These legal safeguards are necessary for both the financial and psychological health of children in digital spaces. Just as states have long regulated child labor in the entertainment industry, the modern regulation of social media should provide the same protection for minors on social media.
Regulating Deepfakes: Strengthening the Fight Against Deceptive Media
In response to the growing threat of deepfake technology, two significant pieces of legislation have emerged: California’s 2024 Deepfake Deception Defense Act and the DEEPFAKES Accountability Act. A deepfake is a digitally altered video or image that uses artificial intelligence to make it appear as though someone is saying or doing something they never actually did. These laws aim to curb the spread of deceptive synthetic media and ensure transparency and accountability in digital content. Both Acts represent progress, but enhanced real-time monitoring, a registry, and a dedicated regulatory body are needed for better deepfake regulation.