Robot Congress

If you're caught on camera during a streamer's IRL stream on the street, do you have any control over that content? This week Ryan, Austin, and special guest Noah Downs talk about Privacy Rights and recording in public!

Will FEMA help pay for your hurricane-destroyed home? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali discuss disaster relief, hurricanes, and COVID-19!

Is Space Force dead in the space-water before it even launches? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali discuss what Netflix's trademark claim on Space Force actually means for the United States' space agency!

Why have Twitch streamers been getting take-downs for background music? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali are joined by special guest Noah Downs to discuss the legalities and realities of streaming on Twitch!

Who do you have to pay when you sing Happy Birthday in public? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali talk about the strange ownership-journey of the world-famous Happy Birthday song!

How did Lindsay Lohan's lawsuit against Grand Theft Auto help set legal history? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali discuss privacy and publicity, Robotic Vanna White, Lindsay Lohan in GTA, and Selena Gomez's appearance in a random mobile game!

Can you win millions by burning yourself with McDonalds coffee? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali discuss what you don't know about the famous McDonald's Hot Coffee case!

Does Disney own your Star Wars Tweets? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali discuss the #MayThe4th Star Wars Twitter controversy!

This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali discuss AM General trying to sue Activision Blizzard for its use of the Humvee in the Call of Duty series! Hop in and join the battle between law and chaos!

Should Uber drivers be contractors or employees? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali discuss the pros and cons of California's AB5 law and whether this is the end of the disrupting apps as we know them!

Would your marriage's validity stand up in court? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali talk about Austin's Wedding and whether his internet-ordained minister had the power to marry the newlyweds!

It's almost the New Year, 2019 is on its way out! This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali talk about their hopes for 2020: Will we see advances in Roomba technology, toiletries, or WiFi? Plus, Austin predicts the best planets and movies of 2020!

Have you ever created game of such beautiful artistry, a craft of such genius, so brilliant in design, that it went completely unappreciated by the masses? You probably needed a publisher!This week Morrison, Austin, and Ali are joined by Sean McKenzie of Armor Games to discuss what a publisher does, and why they're so integral to the gaming business.

Louis Vuitton and League of Legends have teamed up to bring fashion to gaming and vice versa! This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali talk about brand partnerships, what goes into such potent and influential agreements, and whether Austin can actually pull off a French accent.

What is a trademark, and what does it mean when one is abandoned? This week Ryan, Austin, and Ali talk about the Skate 4 trademark debacle, and why you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet!

Will COPPA be the end of child-friendly content on YouTube? This week Ryan, Austin, Ali, and Special Guest Jonathan Katz assess the potential consequences of COPPA on YouTube!

What does it take to break into the video game industry? Do you have the necessary experience to level up to a career in this Pac-Man-Eats-Ghost world of bytes and pixels? This week Morrison, Austin, and Ali share their experience and wisdom!

Would you put your dog's brain in a robot body? This week Morrison, Austin, and Ali talk about the past and future of pets, and we even throw in some pet law for no extra charge!

How has technology altered the way we maintain relationships? This week Morrison, Austin, and Ali reminisce about how instant messaging, dial-up modems, and video chat changed everything. Plus, by popular demand, Austin rants about grocery stores.

Is Apex Legends a threat to Fortnite's popularity? How did Apex launch with virtually no warning and no leaks? This week Morrison, Austin, and Ali talk about the huge hit Apex Legends and its impact on the gaming world.

Just how bad are esports player contracts? Does Skyrim's Bethesda own the word Scrolls? Do companies need to sue to protect their trademarks and intellectual property? This week Morrison, Austin, and Ali answer all the questions!

Can you copyright a dance move? This week Morrison, Austin, and Ali discuss the lawsuits surrounding Epic's Fortnite and the celebrity dance moves it has co-opted for use in its explosive game.

What is the future of warfare? Will soldiers be grizzled men leaping around battlefields in exosuits, or will they 18 year-old Starcraft players commanding robot soldiers from halfway across the globe?This week in Robot Congress Classics, we discuss the Future of War! (what is it good for?)

Will we still be watching television in twenty years, or will we all be plugged into the wall in a virtual cyberspace world? This week in Robot Congress Classics, Morrison and Austin talk about: the potentials of virtual reality; how all our fancy new devices afford us no privacy; what IS "obscene" in media; and how Morrison thinks indie movie theaters are the New Future.

Are Smart Cars the future? Who's responsible if a self-driving car hits your house? Am I still myself if I use a Star Trek transporter? This week in RoCo Classics, Morrison and Austin discuss all the future of transportation!

Should artificial intelligence have human rights? Who's responsible if a self-driving car kills had an accident? This week in Classics, Morrison and Austin delve into the future of AI and discuss Skin Gambling: the purchasing and trade of video game aesthetics!

Will you own your own body in the future? Can your DNA be patented by someone else? This week, a Classic episode of Morrison and Austin's past discussions is revived, back for your enjoyment.

This week Morrison, Austin and Ali discuss the burning question in everyone's minds: is the unauthorized distribution of old (and new!) games through ROMs and their Emulators illegal? Will they result in legal action? Find out this week, on Robot Congress!

Why are Birds terrorizing major cities around the US? This week Morrison, Austin and Ali examine the electric scooter sensation that's sweeping the nation. Is it a great eco-friendly startup, or a thousand thousand lawsuits waiting to happen?

Forbes has declared that Kylie Jenner is set to be the youngest ever Self-Made billionaire- this week on Robot Congress Morrison, Austin and Ali are analyzing this claim and the counterfeit industry that surrounds popular products like celebrity makeup.

This week is about the Supreme Court, what they do, and the new nomination! Morrison and Austin are joined this week by Allison Rothman to answer your burning questions about the Most Supreme Court of the Land (in this case, the US!)

The episode more requested than any other: Should esports pros unionize?

It's always great to give, but are you giving to the right charities? Some charities will piddle away your kind donation keeping their own wheels spinning, whilst others are worthy recipients of your hard-earned currency. This week Morrison, Austin, and O'Connor dive into the murky depths of Lake Charity, sifting through the mud and picking out the gems!

DMCA takedowns are all over YouTube, but what do they mean?! People throw around the terms copyright and trademark as if they're interchangeable! Why is the McDonalds logo Reserved?Join us this week as Morrison, Austin and O'Connor dive into these constant internet topic terms, educating and entertaining you!

What does it take to be a video game star? How far would someone go to secure his place as the King of Kong? This week Morrison, Austin and O'Connor discuss the torrid tale of Billy Mitchell and Steve Wiebe, who the true King of Kong is, and some of what Austin know about Football.

Why is everyone threatening to unplug from Facebook? Has your privacy been breached? Do we deserve privacy at all? This week Morrison and Austin delve deep into the seedy underbelly of Facebook and come face to face with the fact that maybe, just maybe, WE were the breach all along! (audience gasps)

Should you fear artificial intelligence? This week Morrison Austin and O'Connor discuss the robot rebellion, self-driving cars, and the glorious dangers of the future-world we're speeding towards!

Ever thought about making a YouTube channel? Want to Broadcast Yourself out there? Do you have what it takes?This week Morrison, Austin and O'Connor talk to the talented YouTuber Mowtendoo and dig into the nitty gritty of creating content online!

My favorite streamer had Taylor Swift on shuffle in the background and now his videos are no longer available! What kind of music can I use for the background of my livestream and YouTube videos?This week Morrison Austin and O'Connor are excited to have Noah Downs aka @MyLawyerFriend on the show to talk all about sync licensing- what you music you can and can't use online to set the mood!

Welcome to the US Congress, where the government shuts down but the politicians still get paid!Are the banks still open? Has the looting begun? What exactly does a government shutdown entail?!This week Morrison, Austin and O'Connor discuss just exactly WHAT a government shutdown in the USA means, and how often it's happened. Plus: Who's the heart of the Starfox team? What exactly is Cluedo, and why can't I kill Mrs. White with a wrench in the drawing room anymore?!

Ever wonder what being a pro esport player is like? Do you think you have what it takes to play games on the big stage? This week Morrison Austin and O'Connor dive head-first into the booming world of esports! This week we're sponsored by the new [adult swim] show HOT STREETS! Those roads are BOILING!

What's going to be the best movie of 2018? What soon-to-come games will blow your mind? Has Austin caught up with the times, or is he still stuck in the 1970's? Join us this week as Austin and O'Connor look INTO THE FUTURE of 2018.

What's Morrison's favorite game of 2017? What could Austin's top 2017 movie be if he never sees new movies? This week Morrison, Austin, and O'Connor review the highlights of this crazy and amazing year!

Is this the end of the internet as we know it? The FCC has repealed government-enforced net neutrality, so sit in on this session as we fill you in on what this actually means: the good, the bad and the potential dystopia we'll be headed towards. Plus, Morrison and O'Connor chime in at the end with their thoughts on the new Star Wars movie!We're sponsored this week by hellofresh! coupon code congress30 at hellofresh.com nets you $30 off your first week of meals, so give it a shot!

Who won the 2017 Game Awards? Who deserved to win, who lost out?! This week Ryan Morrison and Austin recap the results, and talk Cuphead, Zelda, Uncharted, and many other games that hit and miss at this year's awards!

What is cryptocurrency? Will it make all governments irrelevant? Will Bitcoin topple nations? Will Dogecoin make it to the moon?This week Ryan Morrison, Ryan O'Connor and Austin Hoffman talk cryptocurrency! We delve into exactly WHAT it is, why it's worth money, and whether it'll stick around in the future!

What's the seedy underbelly of tabletop gaming really like? What's a Vampire LARP? How many dwarves does it take to get to the center of the earth?This week Morrison, O'Connor and Austin talk about their awesome trip to PAX Unplugged!Sponsor codes, use to support the show!Squarespace: ROBOTHello Fresh: congress30

EA has released Star Wars Battlefront II and with it a bevy of loot boxes and character-gating. Do they deserve the tremendous amount of hate they're getting for the game and their player-wallet-gouging practices? Probably! This week Ryan Morrison and Austin go through a list of what makes EA worthy of such vitriol!

Hearthstone! Overwatch! Warcraft! This week we're discussing BLIZZCON! Morrison gives his take on his trip and O'Connor and Austin go over some of the big points of Blizzard's huge annual event! We're amazingly excited about this one! Maybe too excited!Try Squarespace! Make your website and support the show, use code ROBOT to get 10% off!

I broke my leg running from a chainsaw clown, can I sue? I have this GREAT idea for Halloween-themed wine...This week Ryan Morrison and Ryan O'Connor talk injuries in haunted houses, disputes over HalloWINE (awesome name, we know) PLUS Scooby Doo Villains! Are they really committing crimes or just defending their homes from pesky kids?HelloFresh is our sponsor this week, coupon code congress30 at hellofresh.com nets you $30 off your first week of meals! It's pretty darn tasty and easy to cook.

Shadow of Mordor says I can pay more money to possibly get a cool orc! I just spent a tenth of my paycheck trying to get the Halloween Zenyatta skin and came up with two Mercys and a Roadhog! Why is this even allowed?We talk with attorney Marc Whipple about loot boxes, the ESRB, gambling in gaming, and if the end is nigh!Squarespace! Use it with coupon code ROBOT to get 10% off and support the show!