Brian Chau (CA)

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Industrial Designs: Protecting Graphical User Interfaces – A Primer for Social Media Entrepreneurs

By Brian Chau (CA) on March 7, 2017 Posted in Patent

This post is directed to entrepreneurs and developers who are building platforms incorporating features of social media networks, or building their own social media technologies, regarding design protection requirements in Canada. Several practice notices have been issued very recently by the Canadian Industrial Design Office, providing guidance on designs including colour and animated graphical user … Continue reading

Production of Social Media Documents Denied

By Brian Chau (CA) on July 22, 2016 Posted in Litigation, Privacy

How safe is information is hidden behind an individual’s privacy settings? Can I assume that my interest in privacy ensures that anything marked “private,” or “shared only with my friends” remains so, even in the face of a production order in Canada?… Continue reading

Liability for friends’ defamatory statements

By Brian Chau (CA) on May 5, 2016 Posted in Defamation

Liability for third-party defamatory comments on one’s personal account, whether on Facebook or another internet-based platform, is an emerging legal issue in Canadian law. If a social media “friend” posts defamatory statements about another person on your profile, or other site, can you be personally liable to the defamed person? Do you have any obligation … Continue reading

Social Media & IP Enforceability

By Brian Chau (CA) and Christopher Hunter on February 29, 2016 Posted in Copyright, Patent, Trademark

Social media channels represent an exciting medium to reach out to the public and potential collaborators. Social media can also play an important role in helping generate positive buzz for organizations seeking to develop a market for their products or services. For example, many of today’s companies gauge the depth of market interest in their … Continue reading