Legal news, some illegal. All of it interesting
1. What Chatbot Says Goes for Airline – Even if Wrong
Air Canada’s buckled into refunding a passenger misinformed by its chatbot. The confusion took off when a man booked a flight after his grandmother’s death. He asked the website chatbot about bereavement rates. It went off course, encouraging him to immediately book a flight and request a refund within 90 days. At most, AC offers a reduced bereavement rate – no refund. The airline argued it’s not liable for chatbotches because the correct information lives on the website – somewhere. But a municipal court ruled that expecting customers to cross-check bot vs. website information is a puddle jump in logic. Air Canada’s responsible for whatever AIr Canada says – even if it’s wrong.
2. Welcome to Hotel California Criminal Case
A criminal trial over hand-written lyrics allegedly stolen from Eagles co-founder Don Henley is underway in New York and no one has a peaceful, easy feeling. The case concerns some 100 pages of lyrics from the 1976 Hotel California album. Prosecutors say three men, including former Rock and Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi, conspired to sell the stolen manuscript. Henley noticed when some of the pages went up for auction. He’s been desperado to get them back ever since. The defendants say they bought them fair and square, so take it easy. But Henley says they can’t hide their lyin’ eyes. He never gifted those writings to anyone.
Such a lovely place, such a lovely case…
3. Red Flag! Lawsuit Says Tinder Breeds Swipe Addicts
Are dating apps breadcrumbing users until they’re addicted to – scrolling instead of love? A class action filed on Valentine’s Day swipes right on that assertion. Six plaintiffs see Match Group as a FWNB (friend with no benefits). They claim Tinder and Hinge’s parent company designed the platforms to lock users into perpetual pay-to-play loops in violation of consumer protection laws. The lawsuit says Match catfishes users into paying for premium features they believe will help find their true love. Instead, they meet compulsive usage, the metaphorical equivalent of an unemployed, neck-bearded Pokémon player living in his mom’s basement. Match calls the lawsuit the height (because apparently that matters) of ridiculousness.
4. Santos Suing, Not Laughing at Kimmel Bit
Since being expelled from the House of Representatives, George Santo earns cash making personalized videos on the Cameo app. It was only a matter of time before late night talk show hosts picked that low-hanging fruit. First to the fruit punch – Jimmy Kimmel. He submitted Cameo requests for a segment called Will Santos Say It? Spoiler alert – Santos did and now he’s suing for being tricked into congratulating Doctor Hundschafer for successfully cloning Adolph the schnauzer and helping “Ron” make up with “Floosie.” He’s alleging copyright infringement and wants $750K. Interestingly, infringement is not one of the accusations leveled at Santos. He faces criminal charges – like defrauding campaign donors.
5. Mortifying Morticians Send Valentines to Elderly
Pro Tip for the funeral home in Surrey, England: Before you send Valentine’s Day cards to the elderly residents of a nearby care center – don’t. Have yourself a cuppa and don’t do it, mate. Do not play formaldehyde and seek with good judgment. Unfortunately, before anyone could bury that crumpet – they mailed 40 cards adorned with red hearts and bows to their oldest, most frail neighbors. Nursing home execs say the funeral directors were only trying to do something nice, not drum up business. Even so, family members of some of the recipients say they were appalled.
