United States: Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction against Perplexity AI, determining that when an AI agent acts at a user's direction, it is the user—not the AI company—who "accesses" computer systems under federal and California computer fraud statutes. This landmark appellate decision addresses how existing computer-access laws apply to agentic artificial intelligence and has significant implications...

Artificial intelligence may live in the cloud, but the underlying infrastructure that makes it possible for AI to perform is decidedly physical—and increasingly power hungry.

California's Senate Bill 690 represents a pivotal legislative response to the explosion of website-tracking lawsuits under the California Invasion of Privacy Act, specifically targeting claims brought under the pen-register provision that have generated thousands of cases since 2022. While the bill would eliminate private plaintiffs' ability to pursue these particular claims involving digital tracking technologies, it leaves other CIPA provisions intact and raises questions about how the litigation landscap

The FCC's Media Bureau has opened a public comment period on a challenge to its guidance regarding lowest unit charge requirements for political advertising, reigniting a contentious debate that has already seen intervention from both the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Democratic congressional candidates are contesting the Bureau's interpretation of LUC rules for joint fundraising committees and coordinated advertisements, with comments due by late September 2026.

A periodic digest of the headlines, statutory and regulatory changes and court cases involving campaign finance, lobbying compliance, election law and government ethics issues at the federal, state and local level.

On July 22, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopted a Third Report and Order and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (covered separately here) in which the Commission advances its ongoing efforts to secure the U.S.

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board recently affirmed that a specific shade of bright green (Pantone 2297C) cannot be registered as a trademark for construction tripod legs due to functionality concerns. The decision highlights the complex interplay between color marks, safety features, and competitive disadvantage in trademark law, examining how high-visibility colors serve essential purposes beyond source identification.

The FCC's Media Bureau has opened a public comment period on a challenge to its guidance regarding lowest unit charge requirements for political advertising, reigniting a contentious debate that has already seen intervention from both the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Democratic congressional candidates are contesting the Bureau's interpretation of LUC rules for joint fundraising committees and coordinated advertisements, with comments due by late September 2026.

Revenue sharing and NIL issues have transformed college athletics into complex business operations, prompting questions about whether traditional single-department structures remain optimal. Could Disney's multi-subsidiary model offer a blueprint for universities to manage revenue-generating sports separately while supporting Olympic programs through specialized entities?

The FCC's Media Bureau has opened a public comment period on a challenge to its guidance regarding lowest unit charge requirements for political advertising, reigniting a contentious debate that has already seen intervention from both the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Democratic congressional candidates are contesting the Bureau's interpretation of LUC rules for joint fundraising committees and coordinated advertisements, with comments due by late September 2026.

A periodic digest of the headlines, statutory and regulatory changes and court cases involving campaign finance, lobbying compliance, election law and government ethics issues at the federal, state and local level.

This comprehensive newsletter covers recent federal and state consumer protection enforcement actions, including FTC settlements with payment processors, state attorney general lawsuits against tech companies, and advertising challenge decisions. The update examines regulatory developments such as the FTC's withdrawal of its 2021 health app breach policy statement and the launch of a new rule guidance program, while highlighting emerging enforcement priorities around AI-powered advertising, personalized