When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg steps down from his current job on January 1 of next year, he might want to go find employment with a vice squad. Bloomberg was dealt a recent blow when his move to stop New Yorkers from purchasing oversized sodas was struck down by the court, but never one to give up, he's now got his eyes on controlling cigarette sales in the Big Apple.

The mayor on Monday introduced proposed legislation that would require New York cigarette sellers to hide cigarette packs from consumers so the brands aren’t given any free advertising and consumers don’t break down at the point of purchase and pick up a few smokes. The mandate is similar to one recently proposed in Singapore, to the dismay of Big Tobacco.Continue reading...

At first glance, it may look like a real online store, but DesignsFauxReal.com is actually a counterfeit site mocking Web sites that sell counterfeit merchandise.

It's the latest reaction to a booming black market industry that has faked out real brands for years on street corners of big cities around the world and has now moved online. Just last week, the seizure of 1,500 counterfeit Chinese-made Hermes purses was announced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The fakes would have been worth as much as $14 million had they been sold at full price.Continue reading...

After the iPhone 5 blitz that hit store shelves last Friday, you’d think that employees in Apple’s Cupertino, California, headquarters would be taking a brief breather and maybe doing a few iJigs in the hallways. But there’s no rest for the weary, particularly for Apple’s legal department. In addition to the ongoing patent spat with Samsung, there's plenty of other legal business keeping them busy these days.Continue reading...

According to an announcement by the U.S. Justice Department, "Global health care giant GlaxoSmithKline LLC (GSK) agreed to plead guilty and to pay $3 billion to resolve its criminal and civil liability arising from the company’s unlawful promotion of certain prescription drugs, its failure to report certain safety data, and its civil liability for alleged false price reporting practices, the Justice Department announced today. The resolution is the largest health care fraud settlement in U.S. history and the largest payment ever by a drug company."

"Today’s multi-billion dollar settlement is unprecedented in both size and scope. It underscores this Administration’s firm commitment to protecting the American people and holding accountable those who commit health care fraud," stated U.S. Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole at a press conference today on the settlement. "Health care fraud is an epidemic that touches every aspect of our lives. And yet, for far too long, we have heard that the pharmaceutical industry views these settlements merely as the cost of doing business. That is why this Administration is committed to using every available tool to defeat health care fraud," added his colleague, Acting Assistant Attorney General Stuart Delery.

GSK stated that the charges stem from a "different era" for the company, and its corporate mission now centers on "putting patients first, acting transparently, respecting people inside and outside the organisation and displaying integrity in everything we do."Continue reading...

As New York City enters a period of public comment on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposed ban on large soft drinks, it seems that everyone already has had a lot to say about it. What's left?

There's the contingent who's backing the entire idea, including the city's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley. He heads NYC's Board of Health, which voted unanimously on Tuesday to put Bloomberg's controversial (and lampooned on the current cover of The New Yorker) proposal to the public.

Other avowed fans of the proposed ban include ex-Coca-Cola marketing executive Todd Putman, who has gone on a mea culpa tour to oppose the soft-drink industry and expose his earlier 'dirty' work.

"How can we drive more ounces into more bodies more often" was how Putman described what he perceived as his mission as a Coke marketer.

Meanwhile, however, the proposed ban has fallen flat with New Yorkers in a new poll by Quinnipiac University. Slightly more than half — 51 percent — are against the idea, led by older voters, with 57 percent of those aged 50 to 64 raising their hands as opposed. Manhattan lodged the highest geographic support.Continue reading...

The Association of National Advertisers recently filed a “friend of the court” brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in a key commercial speech case involving data mining.

Many in the advertising and legal communities are watching this case carefully. At stake is the hot-button issue data mining for marketing purposes protected by the First Amendment. It will also set an important precedent for the pharmaceutical industry, and the marketing and advertising industry in America.Continue reading...

As Google's Vint Cerf, the so-called "father of the Internet," spoke this week about Internet freedom with the Council on Foreign Relations, the mega-web giant was tightening the screws on those who abuse that freedom to harm others.Continue reading...

As the production of counterfeit goods continues to be a chronic problem in 2011, a new report released by the US government points to 33 "notorious markets" that are "prominent examples" of both online and physical marketplaces involved in selling fakes.

The report, issued by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, identifies Baidu, the leading online search engine in China, as providing links to online locations containing "allegedly infringing materials."Continue reading...