Digital Media

DAC Beachcroft’s media and technology (TMT) lawyers advise on all aspects of the creation, protection, and commercialisation of digital media and online content.

Our clients range from individual creators and influencers to multi-national corporates, across the full spectrum of digital media, entertainment, and technology sectors. And, like you, we are passionate about the exciting opportunities that digital media and technology can provide through the internet and mobile apps. But we also understand that there are important legal and commercial issues to be aware of.

Where media intersects with technology and the internet, it isn’t just “business as usual” – you need specialist lawyers who understand your industry, and can cut through the noise to provide pragmatic, responsive advice.

We support clients in a variety of sectors, including:

• Advertising and marketing
• Blockchain, crypto assets and NFTs
• Digital platforms and streaming services
• Esports and gaming
• Film and TV, to include VOD and IPTV
• Lifestyle and entertainment
• Music and podcasts
• Publicity and endorsements 

Our media and technology lawyers advise on a wide variety of digital media matters, including:

• Branding and trade marks – logos, catch phrases, trade mark registration and domain names
• Commercial (B2B) and consumer (B2C) contracts – T&C's, terms of use, licences and distribution agreements, collaboration, development and maintenance deals, confidentiality agreements
• Copyright and digital content – digital rights management, licensing, anti-piracy and infringement disputes
• Corporate finance and structuring – incorporation, joint ventures, start-up funding, investment and tax relief
• Data protection and privacy – data collection and use, targeted advertising and cookies, privacy policies, lawful processing, and cross-border sharing of data
• Publicity and reputation – endorsement deals and appearances, models and actors' agreements, commercial use of an individual’s likeness
• Social media policies and regulations – user-uploaded content, community standards, platform liability
• Synthetic (AI) media and manipulated content – deepfakes, visual special effects, hologram acting, image-based sexual abuse

Highlights of recent work:

• Advising one of the UK’s top film studios on its film distribution and merchandising arrangements in Europe post-Brexit, to include advising on the Audiovisual and Media Services Directive (AVMSD) regulations.

• Drafting and negotiating the full range of agreements for a television series, to include the rights and access agreement, filming policies, and editorial policies on behalf of a UK-headquartered multinational business, with an American production company and mass media network as counterparties.

• Writing the chapter on the legal implications of using deepfakes and hologram acting for the film and TV sector for the European Audiovisual Observatory, and writing the practitioners’ guide to deepfakes for LexisNexis.

• Advising a Norwegian-based events and ticketing platform on its innovative new VOD and live-streaming solution, including in relation to key deals with major sports organisations.

• Supporting an internationally-known athlete on an agreement with a major pharmaceuticals brand, for endorsement and promotion of products. The agreement covered media work and appearances and in particular use of the athlete’s image (publicity) rights.

• Advising an innovative music platform on legal and regulatory matters relating to its music industry ‘ecosystem’ and online community networking, including in relation to their interaction with consumers and their use of cookies and similar technologies.

• Advising a household-name international media group on a variety of projects, involving high-value commercial contract advice and negotiation support together with business-critical data protection advice.

• Working with a prominent digital content agency on the overhaul of its standard suite of contracts, and providing advice in relation to business-critical services agreements with its key clients.

• Advising lifestyle bloggers, influencers and social media talent managers on their collaboration and endorsement relationships, together with the aspects of copyright infringement on social media and various advertising laws.