AMERICAS: UNITED STATES

CRAIGSLIST NOT LIABLE FOR DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING ADS
Author: Douglas J. Wood, Reed Smith LLP

In a ruling that many in the online community had anticipated with bated breath, a federal appeals court has held that the Communications Decency Act (CDA) shields the Internet classifieds forum craigslist from liability for discriminatory housing advertisements.

    ASIA & PACIFIC: AUSTRALIA

On 11 February 2008, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (“ACCC”) released its ‘Green Marketing and the Trade Practices Act’ guidelines (“guidelines”).

Noting the growing importance that consumers place on the environmental credibility of a product, the introduction to the guidelines states “Environmental claims can be a powerful marketing tool. Companies are increasingly using environmental claims in an attempt to differentiate themselves and their products from the competition. These claims come in a wide range of forms, including statements about environmental sustainability, recycling, energy and water efficiency or impact on animals and the natural environment”.
      

BAN ON ADVERTISING ON THE FRENCH PUBLIC TV CHANNELS?
Authors: Michel Béjot & Caroline Bouvier,
Bernard - Hertz – Béjot

Declaration of the French President triggers strike of the French Public TV Channels

The First Major Strike since 1974:  In 1974 the French President, Jacques Chirac, announced that the public Agency of the French Radio and Television (ORTF, “Office de la Radio et de la Télévision Française”) was going to be broken up into seven independent companies, which included the French public TV Channels and Radio (in particular what is now “France Télévisions”, i.e., France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5 and RFO, as well as “Radio France”, the French public radio). This announcement gave rise to significant strikes.