Research Study on Intellectual Property Rights in the Metaverse
The United Nations agency WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) has recently published a new research study under their initiative "Building Respect for IP." Behind the study is Eleonora Rosati, a professor of intellectual property law at Stockholm University.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a self-funded UN agency that, together with 193 member countries, works with intellectual property rights as a means to stimulate innovation and creativity worldwide. They do this, among other things, by developing new international laws and standards that provide protection across borders, as well as by offering education, knowledge, and technology significant for the development of a balanced and effective international IP system.
Spreading knowledge at various levels of society about how to respect and understand intellectual property rights plays a significant role in WIPO's work. Therefore, they have now asked Eleonora Rosati, a professor of intellectual property law at Stockholm University, to write a study titled "The localization of IP infringements in the online environment: From Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 and the Metaverse."
Originating from the impending shift to a social metaverse
As the title suggests, the study focuses on the transition from the interactive dimension of Web 2.0 to the even more integrated and immersive reality of Web 3.0 and beyond. More specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:
- Can the same criteria and concepts developed concerning traditional media be applied in the context of intellectual property infringements carried out through and within a future digital world (metaverse)?
- Does the distinction between centralized and decentralized metaverses – i.e. whether the metaverse is owned by a single company or has a dispersed structure - have significant consequences regarding the localization and handling of intellectual property infringements?
Possible to apply current laws
The study indicates that the existing legal frameworks, as interpreted by courts in several jurisdictions concerning scenarios taking place on today's internet, appear to offer sufficient guidance for localizing intellectual property infringements - including those committed through metaverses. However, there are challenges in collecting evidence to establish a strong connection to a particular territory, both for determining applicable law and jurisdiction.
In summary, the transition to the metaverse is an exciting development, but it also brings legal questions that need to be addressed. This research study by Rosati helps shed light on these issues and provides a broader understanding of the challenges that future intellectual property rights may face in the digital world.
Last updated: September 5, 2023
Source: Department of Law