ncjolteditor

Before 1980, the right to own the patent on any invention researched and developed under a federal funding agreement typically went to the federal agency that provided the funding. The Patent and Trademark Law Amendments Act of 1980, or Bayh-Dole Act, reorganized this framework by presumptively granting the ownership rights of any such patents to …

As individuals navigate their lives on websites and apps, their movements, searches, and actions are silently tracked. Streams of consumer data are then pooled by data aggregators and mined to identify potential vulnerabilities of consumers. These potential weaknesses, e.g., whether someone is in financial distress, having a health crisis, or battling an addiction, are valuable …

Despite our increased reliance on transportation network companies (“TNCs”) and other sharing economy services, like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb, the United States government has let the promises and protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) lag behind the proliferation of the Internet. The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) is currently trying to fill this …

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly intensified the problem of broadband accessibility in North Carolina. Although broadband had already become essential infrastructure before the pandemic, it is now an imperative instrument for all aspects of life, including work, education, and health. In North Carolina, over a million residents lack access to that necessity, primarily concentrated in …

The COVID-19 pandemic facilitated a dramatic shift to a reliance upon virtual means for communication, education, and work-from-home careers. In addition, there was a surge in telehealth appointments as an alternative to the traditional in-person provision-of-care model. However, COVID-19 was not operating in isolation but rather in conjunction with the worsening opioid epidemic. Unfortunately, the …

Millions of people download and use “femtech,” or female technology, applications to track patterns in their reproductive health, including menstruation and fertility. The market for femtech apps is projected to experience rapid growth over the next decade. Despite the highly sensitive, intimate nature of data collected by femtech apps, U.S. privacy law leaves these apps …

Law enforcement across the United States is knocking on Google’s door with its use of reverse location search warrants (“RLSWs”). These warrants allow government officers to access locational data of every cellular device within a certain proximity and time range. RLSWs are an innovative technological tool that allow law enforcement to essentially work backward during …