Digital Media Law: Rights, Rules, and Regulations in the Age of AI

This textbook explores the evolving legal landscape where digital media and AI intersect, offering crucial insights into copyright, data privacy, ethics, and regulatory frameworks shaping the media industry’s future.
From privacy to piracy and free speech to fair use, the digital world has upended legal issues in media and communication. Covering everything from foundational newsgathering rights to the constraints and protections shaping professional reporting, Digital Media Law addresses the complexities facing today’s media in an era of rapid digital transformation.
Readers examine landmark cases, real-world examples, and critical debates that underscore pressing issues, including freedom of expression, AI-driven decision-making, privacy concerns, the legal implications of emerging technologies like deepfakes, and the significant ethical failures that have marred media and journalism. As social media redefines the public square, this book examines the regulation of online speech, challenges to mental health, and global differences in speech regulation, highlighting the clash between U.S. free speech values and foreign controls.
The book sheds light on the dual role of digital technology in promoting transparency and enhancing audience engagement while presenting new ethical challenges for decision-making. With thematic chapters on First Amendment rights, defamation, copyright and trademarks, and Section 230 of the Community Decency Act, Digital Media Law is structured for both academic and practical use, making it ideal for students, journalists, legal professionals, and media enthusiasts interested in the legal intricacies of the digital age.

Michael E. Jones is distinguished professor of sports, entertainment, media, and art law at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and the Law School, University of Massachusetts, USA. He has dedicated over 35 years to educating the next generation of lawyers. His expertise in intellectual property rights, particularly those affecting artists and cultural institutions, has earned him international recognition as a leading scholar and practitioner in the field.