Through the Spying-Glass: Data Privacy Concerns Regarding Mobile Spyware Apps
Payton P. Reisinger Spyware app surveillance technologies are rising in popularity for both legitimate monitoring and also to illegally spy on unsuspecting victims. In 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued its first ban of a spyware app, SpyFone, due to deceptive and unfair trade practices and lack of data security provisions. Some call for specific legislation to curb the effects of growing spyware apps, but opponents of regulation claim that legislative efforts will be too restrictive on growing technological industries or the legitimate uses of spyware apps. This Essay agrees with the policy rationale for implementing spyware legislation and...
Can the U.S. Government Sanction TikTok Like It Is Iran’s Nuclear Program?
Joe Swain This Essay addresses the legality of the Trump administration’s TikTok app store ban. The ban restricted individual or corporate transactions with TikTok in the United States, effectively banning its continued use in the country by restricting its access to revenue. This Essay analyzes the application of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to the Trump administration’s actions and explores the resulting case which was decided by the D.C. Circuit. Although the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the IEEPA is restricted from applying to the Chinese platform, it incorrectly interpreted the meaning...
Resolving US-China IP Disputes Through the WTO: A Legal Alternative to Unilateral Sanctions
Stephen Garvey This article examines the United States’ ongoing trade dispute with China regarding Chinese abuses of American intellectual property rights. The U.S. has filed both a complaint against China before the WTO for violation of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (“TRIPS”), and simultaneously imposed a series of unilateral sanctions on Chinese goods, in violation of the WTO Marrakesh Agreement. Imposing illegal sanctions while seeking redress from the WTO undermines the legitimacy of the U.S.’ claims and has provoked retaliatory tariffs. As the TRIPS agreement comprehensively covers the dispute in question, the U.S. should scale...