Metaverse: Legal Perspective

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study and explanation of the concept and technologies of the metaverse. The author explains the place and significance of this concept as one of the means and one of the directions of "tectonic" digital transformations in the economy and technology. The article presents a detailed author's definition of the term "metaverse". The author shows that an important characteristic feature of the metaverse is the presence of its own economy, which has an analogue of real value and which is connected in a complex way with the economy of the real sector. The article presents a number of explanatory examples. The author addresses the issue of the legal nature of metaverses, as well as complex legal issues determined by the nature and ontology of metaverses. The article shows that the individual structure and features of the ontology of this particular metaverse predetermines its own unique set of legal and legally significant problems. The author concludes that in this area there is no proper regulation by the state, and proper corporate regulation. Separately, important issues of legal protection and protection of intellectual property rights for objects that form the metaverse and for objects inside it are considered. The article shows what transformations will cause the development of the researched technologies in the field of law and professional legal activity. The author concludes the article with the conclusion that today it is very difficult to make any adequate prediction about the future of metaverses, but the discussion is about how bold predictions will come true (since the technology itself is more than promising). And the metaverse (as a kind of testing ground) will determine the next steps in the evolution of the modern legal system, primarily in terms of intellectual property law