Evolution of the 3D Internet Creates Complex Legal Issues for Companies at All Levels

I'm really excited to be joining the Technology Intelligence Group team.  As the internet evolves into a 3D space, businesses as diverse as virtual world providers, consulting firms, content creators, virtual land speculators, financial institutions, and dozens of others will all be forced to confront potentially company-changing legal issues.  How do you structure a virtual currency?  How much liability do you take on when you control user content?  Can you employ anonymous avatars for less than minimum wage?  What nations' laws govern your part of the 3D internet?  Who really owns your "virtual property?"  These questions represent just a few of the many that will shape the 3D internet over the next decade -- and that will also shape every company that participates in this space.

These questions are critical to virtual world startups, content creators, consultants, and others working in this space, but they are general enough that many companies will find value from the same answer.   TIG provides a forum for contributors to answer these questions with a deeper level of detail than we can reach in mainstream articles and presentations.  In regard to legal issues, however, do note that if you have specific questions about your company's situation, you need to consult an attorney directly and not rely on general advice -- no matter how targeted that advice may appear.  With that small caveat, I can say that I very much look forward to both producing and consuming the sort of "deep dive" analysis that I suspect will be the hallmark of TIG's offerings.

Watch for upcoming articles from me over the next few weeks on trademark issues in unrestricted-content virtual worlds, trademark issues in restricted-content virtual worlds, the balancing of control and liability for virtual world providers, and the impact of industry leaders' decisions reagarding their EULA and TOS agreements with users.

Comments

[angel143]

One thing that a lot of people have missed in this recent economic down turn is the fact that in-game money for all of the massive mutliplayer online role playing games has not been effected. I guess it just shows how strong and stable the computer game industry really is.
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Virtual Currency