Metaverse is a kind of “virtual reality” it is a virtual reality world in which people could socialize, play, and work. The metaverse is a new way to engage with computers through artificial intelligence (AI), widespread connectivity, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in which users can buy and sell goods, services and property, even attend events in virtually world.
Big tech such as Facebook, Amazon, Google, Apple are evolving technology and holding market’s share. Taking advantages of outstanding, technical experiences, huge capital and so that they would directly create new rules, control and become oligopoly. Maybe the many governments need to balance benefits between private company and public issues will be conflict
The questions raises about how to protection of rights associated with property ? including intellectual property (IP), particularly for retailers(e-commerce) on metaverse flatform. IP rights concerning the provision of goods and services in a “virtual” world there are less occurred lawsuits because this is a new sector. US, Europe, Japan have not yet precise completed regulations and essential practices to discussion, ratify a law.
Enterprises (holder’s IP rights) seeking to protect and promote their brands in the metaverse should consider subscribing to a trademark watch service to monitor relevant markets and platforms for possible infringing activity. There is also likely to be a territoriality problem and defining boundaries around use of trademarks may become more difficult because of space and unreal world.
To have proactive measure would be to establish presence, standards in the metaverse to interactively monitor its brand and potentially head off infringing activity. Non or official organizations will be establishment in order to assist, monitor, resolution disputes. Along side, many brands looking to experiment in the metaverse, it is crucial to establish IP licensing arrangements with the metaverse platform provider. The metaverse vendors, providers may combine and collaborate their own proprietary IP with a brand’s IP when creating content .
In US lawsuit cases, some legal precedents relating to video games, showing that game manufacturers receive substantial protection under the First Amendment, might provide guidance for the following disputes.
Sources:
- https://www.natlawreview.com/
- https://www.technologyslegaledge.com/2021/11/an-unreal-issue-managing-ip-in-the-metaverse/
- https://www.mondaq.com/trademark/1156298/immersing-intellectual-property-rights-in-the-metaverse
