Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Facebook/Social Media Law – Be Careful Who You Tag



Our current jurisprudence has not caught up with developments in social media yet. Thus, there is no specific law against tagging and posting pictures onto your facebook page. To this, pictures you post or tag on facebook might not be actionable. However, this should not be interpreted as a blanket permission to post and tag any pictures you want on facebook. In the proper context, some posts and tagging may be actionable.

First, the law guarantees people their right to privacy. Although one may argue that joining facebook is an implied consent that your pictures can be posted and tagged by others, the test will be one of reasonableness. The question for consideration will be, are the pictures such that it can be reasonable inferred that the person in the picture impliedly gave consent for it to be posted? There may also be relief where posts or tagging were done innocently.

In the right context, pictures and tagging on facebook may be actionable. For instances, in the proper context, it may constitute harassment, invasion of privacy or causing emotional harm. When used for commercial purposes, it can open the culprit up to the tort action of passing off. If the person in the picture owns the copyright to the pictures then there may also be issues of copyright infringements.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

JP Morgan Coming to Ghana

JP Morgan has announced that it will enter the Ghana banking market by the first quarter of next year. This is indeed welcome news for the burgeoning banking industry in Ghana.

The entry of JP Morgan offers numerous opportunities for the financial sector in the country. First it will further increase the competition in the sector and eventually culminate in more efficiency and effectiveness in the sector. The small banks which dominate the banking scene in Ghana will also have access to credit from JP Morgan instead of looking overseas for credit with it attendant increased transactions cost. We are likely to see an uptick in the already booming construction business as more credit becomes available.

Over all, this move also signifies that the Ghanaian economy is maturing and growing. Most importantly, it will indicate to other industry leaders that it ok to invest in Ghana.