DOI: 10.25136/2409-7136.2021.7.35978

Abstract: The subject of this research is the legal norms aimed at regulation of relations in the sphere of protection of consumer rights with regards to online advertising, including contextual and targeted advertising, as well as other type advertising distributed over telecommunication networks. The object of this research is the social relations arising in the process of creation, placement, and consumer perception of the aforementioned types of advertising. Special attention is given to the theoretical and practical aspects of protecting the basic consumer rights in the context of distribution of the indicated types of advertising, as well as compliance to the corresponding legislative prescriptions by the advertisers, including prohibition to mislead consumers, requirement to distribute advertising over telecommunication networks after receiving advance consent of the consumer, etc. The article provides the examples of court decisions and decisions of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation on consideration of the this category of cases. The novelty of this research consists in outlining the effective approaches of the courts and the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation applicable to the essence, concept and relevant issues of legal regulation of online advertising in the context of protection of consumer rights, including controversial aspects of qualification of online advertising in accordance with the criteria of misleading or deception, as well as questions on due processing of consumer consent to distribution of advertising over telecommunication networks. The author makes recommendations for the improvement of corresponding norms of the Federal Law “On Advertising” and the Federal Law “On The Protection of Competition”, namely to stipulate on the legislative level the provisions that qualify advertising as inappropriate if contains potentially misleading or deceptive content, as well as that consent to receive advertising through telecommunication networks should be in a written form and contain the signature of the consumer.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-7136.2020.9.34183

Abstract: The subject of this research is the legal norms that regulate legal relations in the context of application of blockchain technology and smart contracts based on it in the area of online advertising and intellectual property. The object of this research is the social relations emerging in the indicated spheres. Analysis is conducted on the concepts and characteristics of blockchain technology and smart contracts. The author also reviews some controversial theoretical and practical issues, such as terminology, legal nature of blockchain, smart contracts, and related concepts. Examples are provided of the currently existing blockchain platforms and services premised on them. The novelty of the conducted research consists in focusing on the relevant problems that emerge in the conditions of network economy in such spheres as online advertising and intellectual property. On the example of blockchain platforms functioning in the indicated spheres, the author reveals the problems the can be resolved using such technologies. The author also underlines certain practical difficulties that arise in the process of application of blockchain and smart contracts, particularly associated with the absence of legal definition of a number of concepts. The examples of corresponding court decisions are provided. A proposal is made on the need for consolidation on the legislative level of definitions of such concepts as “blockchain”, “smart contract”, “cryptocurrency”, and “token”.

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