Is Scrolling the New Smoking?

Is Scrolling the New Smoking?

January 21, 2026

Is Scrolling the New Smoking?

By: Lauren Scribner

In the final weeks of 2025, New York passed a law requiring social media platforms with “certain predatory features” to display warning labels about “the dangerous impact” those features pose to the mental health of users under the age of eighteen.[1] These so-called “predatory features” include continuous and infinite scrolling, displaying addictive feeds, and automatically playing video content.[2]  Warning labels will be displayed upon the initial use of the “predatory feature” and “periodically thereafter, based on continued use.”[3] Users will not have an option to bypass or skip the warnings. In support of the new measure, New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated, “[w]ith the amount of information that can be shared online, it is essential that we prioritize mental health…

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Influencer Liability: Will New-Age Litigation Net Celebrity Spokespeople?

December 12, 2025

Influencer Liability: Will New-Age Litigation Net Celebrity Spokespeople?

By: Lauren Scribner

The “influencer economy,” in which so-called “content creators” share user-generated content such as livestreams or short-form film, is showing no signs of slowing down.  Currently valued north of $250 billion, it is projected to reach nearly $500 billion by 2027.[1] “Creators earn income primarily through direct branding deals to pitch products as an influencer; via a share of advertising revenues with the host platform; and…

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The SEC Signs on to Arbitration

September 29, 2025

The SEC Signs on to Arbitration

By: George Calhoun

Early last week, on September 17, 2025, the SEC announced that it will no longer consider the presence of a mandatory arbitration provision in a company’s charter or bylaws when deciding whether to accelerate the effectiveness of a registration statement.  This policy shift will permit companies to include arbitration clauses in their governing documents to require securities litigants (including class action plaintiffs) to pursue their…

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CFTC Wins Suit Against DAO, With Potential Broad Implications for DAO Ecosystem

June 26, 2023

CFTC Wins Suit Against DAO, With Potential Broad Implications for DAO Ecosystem

By: Jake Gray

The Commodities Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) has only brought one lawsuit against a Decentralized Autonomous Organization, or a DAO, which was recently decided in federal court. The case involved a decentralized finance trading protocol “that had transformed into a decentralized autonomous organization, a DAO, offering leveraged and margined retail commodity transactions to the public,” according to CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam.[1] On June 8th, 2023, U.S….

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INFORM Consumers Act – Is Your Company Ready for June 27 Compliance?

June 23, 2023

INFORM Consumers Act – Is Your Company Ready for June 27 Compliance?

By: Michelle Cohen

On June 27, 2023, the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act (the “INFORM Consumers Act”, or “Act”) becomes effective, imposing new obligations on online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.  Specifically, the INFORM Consumers Act requires online marketplaces to verify and disclose high-volume third-party sellers’ identities. Congress enacted the law in December 2022 to protect consumers from counterfeit, unsafe, and…

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Liar, Liar Robot on Fire – Can You Seek Legal Relief if a Chatbot Defames You?

May 22, 2023

Liar, Liar Robot on Fire – Can You Seek Legal Relief if a Chatbot Defames You?

By: Abbey Block

When another person publishes a lie about you that causes harm to your reputation, you can seek relief by filing a defamation lawsuit. But what sort of relief is available when the person making the defamatory statement isn’t a person at all – but instead is a robot? The world may soon find out. In early April, Reuters reported that a regional Australian Mayor, Brian…

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Appeals Court Tells Elon Musk –A Deal Is A Deal: SEC Consent Decree Sticks

May 18, 2023

Appeals Court Tells Elon Musk –A Deal Is A Deal: SEC Consent Decree Sticks

By: Michelle Cohen

When faced with federal agency enforcement actions, companies frequently enter into consent decrees with the government to avoid the time, expense, and uncertainties of litigation. Consent decrees often involve the payment of settlement monies. They can also include lengthy commitments in furtherance of compliance, such as annual reporting and officer certifications. Consent decrees may also restrict certain practices, even over decades. Once a “deal” is…

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For the Children!: Children’s Online Safety Becomes Focus of State and Federal Law

May 15, 2023

For the Children!: Children’s Online Safety Becomes Focus of State and Federal Law

By: Nicole Kardell

Have you seen the latest craze in babysitting? If you are ever out in public, you have. Think of the last time you were at a restaurant, stoplight, or airport, and noticed a child, aged between tot and tween, fixated on his or her device. That’s the craze: the cheapest, most available babysitting option these days is a device that can entertain children for hours,…

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Articles and Presentations by Our Firm Attorneys

Is Scrolling the New Smoking?

Is Scrolling the New Smoking?
By: Lauren Scribner

Influencer Liability: Will New-Age Litigation Net Celebrity Spokespeople?

Influencer Liability: Will New-Age Litigation Net Celebrity Spokespeople?
By: Lauren Scribner

The SEC Signs on to Arbitration

The SEC Signs on to Arbitration
By: George Calhoun

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