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Law Prof. Lisa Ramsey Discusses Brandjacking on Social Networks with ABC Radio

Melbourne, Australia (March 29, 2011) – Today USD School of Law Professor Lisa Ramsey was interviewed by Damien Carrick of "The Law Report" on Australia's ABC National Radio. Carrick and Ramsey, who is currently a visiting scholar at the University of Melbourne, discussed several cases of brandjacking—the unlawful use of trademarks online—on Facebook and Twitter.

From the case of the fake Nine West Facebook site that conned women into sending in photos for a bogus modeling competition to the case of the public relations company that received bad press due to a Twitter impersonator, Ramsey discusses the legal ramifications of toying with the reputations of companies both online and offline.

Listen to the full interview online.

About Professor Lisa Ramsey

Lisa P. Ramsey teaches and writes in the areas of intellectual property and international intellectual property at the University of San Diego School of Law. Professor Ramsey’s current scholarship focuses on the practice of “brandjacking” on social networks—the unauthorized use of trademarks to impersonate markholders on sites such as Facebook or Twitter—and the potential conflict between international obligations to protect trademark rights and the right to freedom of expression. Her article, "Brandjacking on Social Networks: Confusion About the Source of Information or Advertising" was published by the Buffalo Law Review in the symposium issue (58) on the topic of "Advertising and the Law" (2010). Her article, "Free Speech and International Obligations to Protect Trademarks," was published in 35 Yale Journal of International Law (2010).

About the University of San Diego School of Law

The University of San Diego School of Law is a center of academic excellence focused on preparing its students for legal practice in the new century. One of the most selective law schools in the country, the School of Law’s nationally recognized faculty create a demanding, yet welcoming environment that emphasizes individualized education. USD law school graduates consistently score higher than the state average on the California Bar Exam and go on to practice law throughout the country and abroad, forming an influential network of alumni. USD School of Law is one of only 81 law schools in the country to have a chapter of the Order of the Coif, the most distinguished rank of American law schools. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, nonprofit, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.