A collection of legal cases, laws, and theory related to software.

Cases

Google LLC v. Oracle America, Inc. (2021)

"The fact that Android is free of charge does not make Google's use of the Java API packages noncommercial".

the Supreme Court ruled in a 6–2 decision that Google's use of the Java APIs fell within the four factors of fair use, bypassing the question on the copyrightability of the APIs.

Microsoft Corp. v. Commission (2007)

Microsoft EU Browser Choice

Microsoft violated settlement due to a genuine lack of test coverage and was fined ~$700 Million.

The automatic nature of the BrowserChoice.eu feature was dropped in Windows 7 Service Pack 1 in February 2011 and remained absent for 14 months despite Microsoft reporting that it was still present, subsequently described by Microsoft as a "technical error". As a result, in March 2013 the European Commission fined Microsoft €561 million to deter companies from reneging on settlement promises.

Laws

General Data Protection Regulation (2016)

  • Transparency and modalities
  • Information and access
  • Rectification and erasure
  • Right to object and automated decisions

Practice

Theory

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

Article 19 States

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.