What types of laws cover the use of social networking sites such as Facebook?

In Mississippi, there are a variety of laws that cover the use of social networking sites such as Facebook. These laws are primarily intended to protect the privacy of internet users by setting out the legal obligations of social networking site operators, such as Facebook, regarding the collection and use of personal information. The Mississippi Computer Crime laws define and criminalize numerous activities related to the misuse of computers, including unauthorized access, obtaining access without authorization, misuse of passwords, and other computer-related offenses. These laws apply to both the use of social media sites as well as other digital activities. The Mississippi Internet Privacy Act, enacted in 2016, requires social networking sites such as Facebook to secure personal information collected from their users and establish rules for how that data can be used. This law also requires social networking sites to give users the option to opt-out of certain data-collection activities. The Mississippi Electronic Communications Privacy Act is another law that applies to the use of social networking sites. This law prohibits the interception and disclosure of email messages without the consent of the sender. Finally, the Mississippi Right to Publicity Act prohibits the unauthorized use of someone’s name, likeness, or other personal identifying information without that person’s permission. In the context of social networking sites, this law protects users from having their personal information — such as their name and profile picture —used without their knowledge or consent.

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What types of laws cover the use of social networking sites such as Facebook?

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