Mixing It up on the Web: Legal Issues Arising from Internet 'Mashups'

摘要

Mashups, the blending together of two or more sources of content or data (often called Web services) available on the Internet, are being used by entertainment, media, and other companies to satisfy the increasing demands of a data-hungry public. In this article, Robert S. Gerber of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP describes this new and exciting application, while cautioning that mashups are fraught with many potential legal perils. Mr. Gerber explains the contract, trademark, copyright, patent, privacy, warranty, competition, and other issues that require careful consideration and planning for those wanting to take advantage of this method of data delivery.