Could Metaverse Bring About Virtual Laws? Who Will Pass Judgment?
The metaverse is a social interaction-focused virtual 3D world that integrates augmented reality(AR), virtual reality(VR), and avatars. Combining the three has led to new interaction, socialization, and earning forms. On the metaverse, users can develop, build, trade, learn, attend meetings, meet up with friends, attend concerts, etc.
New technologies always bring about further questions and concerns as they develop and attract people. In metaverse's case, many things are yet to be figured out since it is in the initial stages of development. One of these is legal concerns involving data and consumer privacy, real estate, antitrust, intellectual property, and financial regulation are facing many questions. As for now, we are left to ask ourselves; Could the metaverse bring about virtual laws?
Could Avatar Lawyers be a Thing?
As the metaverse grows, we might see avatar lawyers. These lawyers will provide virtual legal firms, real estate disputes, damages, etc. The catch is that these personas' skills, knowledge, and credentials must be vetted and agreed on in the metaverse. Notably, this lawyer will not be the same as a human lawyer as the case files and decisions differ.
If this concept develops, there is a lot that needs to be figured out. First, the lawyers need to have private access to legal databases on their screens so that clients can't access them. In addition, AI software that deals with natural language has to be available to listen during proceedings and give important information such as analytics.
Grungo Colarulo, a New Jersey-based law firm, set up an office in the metaverse last December. They provide educational resources about workplace injuries and discrimination.
Criminal Actions in the Metaverse
The metaverse has a lot of freedom, attractive but disruptive as it can lead to crime and misbehavior. As much as there cannot be physical trauma to the users, mental abuse is still possible. Considering there is no established legal framework, there is an increase of
Abusive and criminal activities may be rampant on the metaverse. The lack of an established legal framework or defined consequences may be a loophole for criminals who may take advantage of the lacunae.
Online bullying and harassment are common issues that people face, and it's not surprising that they could happen in the metaverse. However, if someone uses a racial slur or makes a homophobic or transphobic remark, they can be prosecuted, according to Greg Pryor, a Reed Smith lawyer.
The other issue that presents itself is with prosecuting an anonymous user and proving they committed the crime. What could happen, however, is a form of virtual punishment. It could be a restriction or deactivation of an avatar. The concept comes from video games with no real-world consequences for bullying and harassment slurs. But instead, the character is terminated and banned from the game.
Data Security and Privacy Issue
Due to the increasing number of legal issues surrounding digital security and privacy, platform owners will face a wide range of challenges in the future. These issues are not new to tech companies; they are already under increasing scrutiny.
The value of data in the metaverse will increase exponentially as more people use it. As a result, technologies will become more integrated into people's lives. The development of new technology will put even more pressure on regulators to adopt the latest standards.
One metaverse, in which multiple parties operate, will require different interoperability standards than those used for other platforms. Although the antitrust laws generally allow companies to create technical certifications that improve interoperability, they can still face antitrust concerns if they do so without also establishing standards.
Aside from concerns about the fairness of the standard-setting process, agreements and industry standards can also restrict output and violate antitrust laws if they are not designed to serve a pro-competitive purpose. Hence, laws surrounding data security and privacy will have to come up at one point.
Intellectual Property Laws in the Metaverse
Due to the rise of Web 3.0 and the increasing number of legal issues involving intellectual property, intellectual property disputes are likely to become more prevalent in the metaverse. The metaverse integrates with NFTs to create avatars, among other items.
Although it is unclear exactly how intellectual property protection will be enforced in the metaverse, several cases have already involved intellectual property with NFTs. For example, in June 2021, Roc-A-Fella filed a lawsuit against Damon Dash, who had been trying to auction off the cover of Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt album.
Developers and companies should carefully consider their rights when using intellectual property in the metaverse. The rise of user-generated content may severely challenge traditional approaches to enforcing intellectual property rights. Hence, establishing virtual laws seems like the right direction as the metaverse grows.
Metaverse Forensics to Pass Judgment?
Blockchain and virtual forensics are quickly picking up as it leverages technology and science to recover and analyze any evidence from cybercrime. However, the area is still relatively new, and folks working on these forensics will need more skill to circumnavigate blockchain. In addition, they will need to update their software to accommodate cloud trends.
Due to the evolution of the metaverse, there will be a need for platforms that can help manage the various steps involved in the discovery process. These steps include legal hold, preservation, and collection. Hence, clear laws regarding this are necessary to establish trust in digital forensics.
Due to the increasing number of privacy violations, law enforcers can utilize digital forensics to investigate and prosecute individuals. A privacy leakage forensics scheme is currently being developed to collect digital evidence without touching a user's private data. As for now, more research is needed to improve its resilience, collaboration, and privacy preservation.
Final Thoughts!
Right now, we are looking at the initial phases of the metaverse and what it can do in the digital world. Hence, its potential is limitless and offers numerous opportunities. However, one clear thing is that its success will have a lot to do with the ability of legal tech professionals to anticipate and address the various regulatory and technical issues it will present. When this comes into play, we cannot simply ignore that virtual laws may come up in the future.