Other Resources
News
Publishers
Other Book Review Sites
Letters
Contact
Copyright

Internet law is a tough field to keep up with...every month there are a number of important decisions that change how business is conducted over the Internet. While it's impossible to keep up with everything that's going on in Internet law, Jonathan Bick's new book offers a useful survey of existing case law, providing readers with a strong base from which to proceed.

In 101 Things You Need to Know About Internet Law, Bick describes the important issues in Internet law and offers advice on how to comply with the laws and understand the rights and restrictions affecting consumers, intellectual property holders, and businesses. I must admit that when I first heard about the book, I expected it to be a shallow foray into a few areas of Internet law that would be of little use to the average reader. What I found instead was a wide-ranging, insightful exploration of important issues including:

• Digital signatures;

• Contracts;

• Sales;

• Copyright;

• Privacy;

• Encryption;

• Personal jurisdiction;

• Online trading, and more.

Bick's "101 things" begin with a general statement, such as "Internet Loans are Lawful", explains the relevant law, and then offers a summary statement or recommendation at the end of the explanation. Some explanations include answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) that nicely anticipate issues readers may need clarified or expanded upon; a substantial number of explanations also include correspondence between the author and current or prospective clients, offering readers a useful insight into both the law and the process of engaging an attorney to represent one's interests.

Whenever you discuss the law, it's easy to give a vague answer to any general question and remind the questioner that every case is different and that the facts surrounding a given situation may result in an unexpected outcome. Bick offers the standard disclaimer, but doesn't use the variability of the law as an excuse to back away from giving strong opinions on issues where the law has settled a bit.

101 Things You Need to Know About Internet Law is a welcome, complete addition to the literature of Internet law and, at the highly attractive $12.95 price point, should be on the shelf of any Internet attorney or business person.

Curtis D. Frye (cfrye@teleport.com)  is the editor and chief reviewer of Technology and Society Book Reviews.  He worked for four years as a defense industry analyst at The MITRE Corporation in McLean, VA, and is the author of Privacy-Enhanced Business, from Quorum Books.