WebIP Hour: The Streisand Effect: IP Litigation in the Wild West of Social Media

The presentation will provide an overview of new factors to take into account since the arrival of social media, which cannot be overlooked anymore. Anyone can now comment on public affairs and judicial proceedings, and such comments can be shared, liked, retweeted or commented by thousands, or even millions. We have seen some cases where businesses and people have suffered extensive damages from legitimately trying to enforce their rights, because of public outrage on social media. Is there a way to prevent a bad case of Streisand Effect? The presentation will provide some insight on elements to look for, as well as novel ways to approach the enforcement of your clients’ rights to avoid being the next big case of Streisand Effect. 

Vincent Bergeron is a lawyer and trademark agent at Robic, LLP who counsels clients on various aspects of protection and enforcement of IP assets, including on the protection of trademarks and trade names on the Internet and on social media. Author of multiple publications and conferences, Vincent Bergeron has been invited to speak about the Streisand Effect by multiple organizations, institutions and associations, including by the Quebec Judicial Council (Conseil de la magistrature du Québec), the Canadian Bar Association, the Quebec Bar, the Leg@l.IT Conference and the Canadian Association of Paralegals.

Vincent Bergeron is also actively involved in the Licensing Executives Society (L.E.S. USA & Canada) and its Young Members Committee. Vincent Bergeron is also a cofounder of the crowdfunding platform La Ruche, which contributes to the influence and vitality of Quebec City.