New York State Legislature’s Preliminary Response to AI: Disclosure of “Synthetic Performers” in Advertising and Expanded Prohibitions on “Digital Replicas” of Deceased Performers

Written by Andrew Nietes Largely in response to the proliferation of content generated by artificial intelligence, including use of AI to depict deceased individuals, on December 11, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul signed two bills into law. The first requires disclosure of AI-generated “synthetic performers” when used in advertising (other than in connection with expressive works). The second amends the already existing prohibitions on unauthorized digital … Continue reading New York State Legislature’s Preliminary Response to AI: Disclosure of “Synthetic Performers” in Advertising and Expanded Prohibitions on “Digital Replicas” of Deceased Performers

New York Becomes First State to Implement “Paid Prenatal Leave” for Employees

Written by Jeremy Mittman and Thea Rogers On April 19, New York officially became the first state to enact legislation requiring employers to provide pregnant employees with a bank of protected paid prenatal leave.  Importantly, an eligible employee’s paid prenatal leave bank is separate and distinct from already-required paid sick and safe leave bank and paid family leave bank (as well as any unpaid leave … Continue reading New York Becomes First State to Implement “Paid Prenatal Leave” for Employees

New York City Enacts Pay Transparency Law

Written by Christie Del Rey-Cone Employers in the Big Apple will soon be required to be more transparent about a position’s salary range, following a recent slew of pay transparency legislation nationwide. Effective May 14, 2022, employers must include the minimum and maximum salary range when advertising a job, promotion, or transfer opportunity located within New York City.  Requirements The new law amends the New … Continue reading New York City Enacts Pay Transparency Law

The Potential for Viable Whistleblowing Claims Is About To Become Larger and Louder In New York

Written by Christie Del Rey-Cone Historically, New York Labor Law Section 740 provided rather narrow protections for employees of private employers who engaged in potential whistleblower activities. However, at the end of 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation that significantly broadened the scope of individuals and activities covered by Section 740 and those changes become effective on January 26, 2022. Employers must now take even … Continue reading The Potential for Viable Whistleblowing Claims Is About To Become Larger and Louder In New York

Deepfakes and Rights for the Dead: New York Adds a Post Mortem Publicity Right and Penalizes Sexually Explicit Deepfakes

Written by Timothy M. Carter On Monday, November 30, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law legislation (S5959D / A.5605-C, which we’ll refer to as the “Statute”) establishing, among other things, a new post-mortem “right of publicity.”  We explain here the key points to know about the new law. New York’s new post-mortem right is similar to the existing right of publicity protections … Continue reading Deepfakes and Rights for the Dead: New York Adds a Post Mortem Publicity Right and Penalizes Sexually Explicit Deepfakes

Producers of Hustlers Hustle Up a Win in Lawsuit: SDNY Dismisses Claims for Invasion of Privacy and Defamation in Barbash v. STX Financing

Written by Leo M. Lichtman Earlier this month, the Southern District of New York gave its stamp of approval to the hit film Hustlers, when it dismissed an action for invasion of privacy and defamation brought by Samantha Barbash, the real-life ringleader of an illegal conspiracy that influenced the film.  In its order of dismissal, the court provided important guidance on New York’s invasion of … Continue reading Producers of Hustlers Hustle Up a Win in Lawsuit: SDNY Dismisses Claims for Invasion of Privacy and Defamation in Barbash v. STX Financing

New York’s Department of Financial Services Initiates Its First Enforcement Action Under Its 2017 Cybersecurity Regulations

Written by Timothy M. Carter Following a publicized commitment to increased cybersecurity enforcement, the New York Department of Financial Services (“NYDFS”) initiated its first enforcement action against First American Title Insurance Co. (“First American”) on July 22, 2020. Stemming from First American’s alleged failure to adequately safeguard highly confidential, personal consumer information – including bank account numbers and statements, mortgage and tax records, Social Security … Continue reading New York’s Department of Financial Services Initiates Its First Enforcement Action Under Its 2017 Cybersecurity Regulations

The Privilege to Speak One’s Mind: New York Broadens Its Anti-SLAPP Statute

Written by Timothy M. Carter The broad speech protections provided by the First Amendment are emblematic of a “profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open[.]”  New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 269–70 (1964).  While this unfettered commitment to free speech may shield a speaker from the chill of liability, practically speaking, it often … Continue reading The Privilege to Speak One’s Mind: New York Broadens Its Anti-SLAPP Statute

Amidst A Pandemic, New York Quietly Implements Its Enhanced Data Security Law

Written by Susan Kohn Ross and Timothy Carter

While much attention and focus has rightly been placed on the California Consumer Privacy Act and the dramatic expansion of privacy rights for California residents that it heralds, a number of other states have quickly followed suit, working to strengthen their respective data security and privacy laws.  Signed into law on July 25, 2019 by Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York enacted the Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (the “SHIELD Act” or the “Act”).  The SHIELD Act amends New York State’s data breach notification law, by broadening existing the state’s data breach notification requirements and requires covered businesses to have “reasonable” data security safeguards. Continue reading “Amidst A Pandemic, New York Quietly Implements Its Enhanced Data Security Law”

NY Court Allows Use of Third-Party Photo Embedding, Thanks to Instagram’s Terms of Service

Written by Robert H. Rotstein and Timothy M. Carter

In the past few years, the advent of social media has increasingly tested the bounds of copyright law.  The issue of whether “in-line linking” or “embedding” constitutes actionable copyright infringement is no exception.

Early last week, in Stephanie Sinclair v. Ziff Davis, LLC, and Mashable, Inc., 1:18-cv-00790 (SDNY, April 13, 2020), Judge Kimba Wood held that Defendant Mashable did not engage in copyright infringement by embedding of Plaintiff photographer Stephanie Sinclair’s photograph “Child, Bride, Mother/Child Marriage in Guatemala” (the “Photograph”). The Court determined that Mashable used the Photograph, which was posted to Sinclair’s publicly viewable Instagram account, pursuant to a valid sublicense granted to Instagram by Sinclair.  Accordingly, Judge Wood granted Mashable’s motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) on the grounds that Sinclair failed to state a claim for copyright infringement. Continue reading “NY Court Allows Use of Third-Party Photo Embedding, Thanks to Instagram’s Terms of Service”