UK Researchers Unveil Challenges of Applying IP Laws to the Metaverse
Summary:
UK researchers investigate and highlight the challenges in applying current intellectual property laws to the metaverse. They point out potential issues with maintaining copyrights in an interoperable environment, the difficulty of updating IP rights due to the immutable nature of blockchain technology, and the vulnerability in algorithmic management of IP violations due to the lack of human oversight. They further worry about the impact of AI-generated content on established IP laws. The report concludes with the recommendation of formulating adaptable strategies to tackle these emerging challenges in the metaverse environment.
United Kingdom academicians have probed the applicability of present intellectual property (IP) guidelines to emerging technologies like the metaverse and shared their observations in a recently released report. They scrutinized the existing legislation and suggested how it could be improved to cater to the new digital sphere of the metaverse. The said research, titled "IP and Metaverse", commissioned by the UK government, was unveiled on March 7. The report investigates the current knowledge on IP laws and their adaptability to metaverse. Issues relating to the managing of IP in an interoperable environment as well as controlling technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain within the metaverse were highlighted. The researchers agreed that unauthorized distribution of copyrighted content is one of many legal complexities associated with interoperability. They emphasized that the absence of interoperability has so far assisted in curbing illegal distribution of copyrighted materials. However, with interoperability a crucial function in a metaverse environment, regulating consumption and distribution of copyrighted matter could be demanding. At the same time, inherent features of blockchain like its 'tamper-proof' nature creates challenges in IP enforcement. The immutability property of blockchain could erode the ability to modify or update IP rights, creating a potential roadblock especially during disputes over ownership. It could also complicate matters when the termination of agreements and rights requires to be actioned if owners or rights holders wish to exit metaverse. The researchers also projected that AI technology could add another layer of complexity to IP enforcement in the metaverse. They argued that the absence of human auditing could make the algorithmic handling of IP violations highly susceptible to misuse. They also pointed out that IP enforcement faces another hurdle in the form of AI-generated content. Should there be an over-reliance on AI technology, it could potentially result in invalidated inventorship claims in content. The study cited several instances where only creative works that had minimal AI assistance were granted IP protection. As a response to the various IP governance complexities likely to emerge in the metaverse, the researchers concluded that there is a requirement for clarity on several critical issues. These issues encompass copyrights, patents, trademarks, user-generated content, virtual property, designs, and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) within the metaverse. Based on these identified challenges, the researchers suggested formulating strategies to address IP enforcement and governance in the evolving metaverse environment.
Published At
3/8/2024 11:28:22 AM
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