Hosted Payload Episode 5 (Podcast)

On September 10, 2026, Governor Newsom signed SB 1119, known as Adam’s Law, substantially expanding California’s requirements for companion chatbots when used by children.

Operating a Facebook page or "pinning" on Pinterest may not seem like advertising, but these activities are interactions with customers that are subject to the same laws.

Generative AI is transforming litigation defense by enabling in-house legal teams to manage costs and complexity more effectively across the entire case lifecycle. From early research and drafting through expert witness strategy and trial preparation, AI tools are helping defense teams work faster and more consistently. How are these technologies reshaping the way sophisticated counsel approaches multidistrict litigation, mass torts, and large-scale document management?

This month’s headline FTC action was the announcement that the FTC and 22 states sued Amazon over deceptive advertising practices. But the FTC has also kept its sights trained on protecting cash-strapped consumers. The FTC announced settlements involving empty credit-repair promises, bill payment platforms masquerading as official payment channels, and tacked-on fees at used car dealerships.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction against Perplexity AI, determining that when an AI agent acts at a user's direction, it is the user—not the AI company—who "accesses" computer systems under federal and California computer fraud statutes. This landmark appellate decision addresses how existing computer-access laws apply to agentic artificial intelligence and has significant implications...

On September 28th, California passed the first law in the country designed to address the security of internet-connected devices, more commonly known as the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Federal Trade Commission announced that it has approved a resolution authorizing the use of compulsory process in non-public investigations involving...

2025 appears to have signalled a return to growth for the games industry with headline figures painting an appealing picture which obscures a more challenging reality. Many in the sector continue to struggle, while a number of outperformers have been the real winners. The industry is undergoing change and may look quite different in the next five years.  

For more than 20 years consumers have complained about hidden mandatory fees, junk fees, resort fees, destination fees, service fees, administration fees, health fees, surcharges, connection fees, and similar charges, whatever they are called.

On September 16, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom ceremoniously signed SB 1050 at SAG-AFTRA’s headquarters in Los Angeles, adding a new article to California’s Business and Professions Code that targets the use of AI-generated “synthetic performers” in advertising.