U.S. Supreme Court’s Take on Section 230: What it Means for Online Platforms – and What’s Next
4 minute read | June.13.2023
Meg Hennessey
Senior Associate
San Francisco
Orange County Office
Meg has broad and unique domestic and international experience leading diverse teams of lawyers and consultants conducting internal and other compliance-related investigations in the online safety, anti-corruption, and corporate ethics spaces. Because of her strong project management skills she has been engaged to assist multinational clients respond to complex and sensitive investigations initiated by the US DOJ, SEC, FTC, various state attorney generals, and Congress as well as Ofcom and Parliament in the UK. Her experience on both sides of Monitorships similarly provides her with a unique perspective when advising clients facing regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and the UK on best practices to be used in the assessment or development of compliance programs that will be acceptable to those enforcement authorities. A snapshot of her varied and unique experience is set forth below.
Representative matters include:
Online Safety
- Advising companies - including social media platforms and related consultants - on compliance with online safety-related obligations and best practices in the US specifically in relation to, e.g., suspected child abuse, sexual exploitation, terrorist and hate speech, etc.
- Conducting online safety compliance risk assessments and preparing and implementing related policies and procedures - for internal and external audiences - related to identity verification, content moderation, transparency reporting, and reporting to law enforcement.
- Responding on behalf of a UK-based client to UK Parliament inquiries related to the UK's Online Safety Bill.
- Assessing and advising companies in determining their obligations under the EU's Digital Services Act.
Anti-Corruption, Anti-Fraud, and Ethics
- Serving on the Monitor teams for two FCPA Monitorships, as well as representing two multinational corporations under the review of independent Compliance Monitors.
- Conducting anti-corruption compliance risk assessments and preparing and implementing related policies and procedures for internal and external audiences.
- Conducting internal investigations in Argentina, Brazil, China, Columbia, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand.
- Conducting pre- and post-acquisition anti-corruption due diligence and assisting in remediation.
- Representing individuals and companies in connection with criminal investigations conducted by the DOJ FCPA Unit, Healthcare & Government Fraud Unit, as well as several individuals in connection with criminal investigations conducted by the DOJ Antitrust Division into the automotive parts industry.
- Responding to Civil Investigative Demands for companies responding to False Claims Act allegations.
- Representing a company in relation to multiple congressional inquiries conducted by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
