Overview

The proliferation of virtual and augmented reality technologies into society raise significant questions for judges, legal institutions, and policy makers. For example, when should activities that occur in virtual worlds, or virtual images that are projected into real space (that is, augmented reality), count as protected First Amendment 'speech'? When should they instead count as a nuisance or trespass? Under what circumstances would the copying of virtual images infringe intellectual property laws, or the output of intelligent virtual avatars be patentable inventions or works of authorship eligible for copyright? And when should a person (or computer) face legal consequences for allegedly harmful virtual acts? The Research Handbook on the Law of Virtual and Augmented Reality addresses these questions and others, drawing upon free speech doctrine, criminal law, the law of data protection and privacy, and of jurisdiction, as well as upon potential legal rights for increasingly intelligent virtual avatars in VR worlds. The Handbook offers a comprehensive look at challenges to various legal doctrines raised by the emergence - and increasing use of - virtual and augmented reality worlds, and at how existing law in the USA, Europe, and other jurisdictions might apply to these emerging technologies, or evolve to address them. It also considers what legal questions about virtual and augmented reality are likely to be important, not just for judges and legal scholars, but also for the established businesses and start-ups that wish to make use of, and help shape, these important new technologies. This comprehensive Research Handbook will be an invaluable reference to those looking to keep pace with the dynamic field of virtual and augmented reality, including students and researchers studying intellectual property law as well as legal practitioners, computer scientists, engineers, game designers, and business owners. Contributors include: W. Barfield, P.S. Berman, M.J. Blitz, S.J. Blodgett-Ford, J. Danaher, W. Erlank, J.A.T. Fairfield, J. Garon, G. Hallevy, B. Lewis, H.Y.F. Lim, C. Nwaneri, S.R. Peppet, M. Risch, A.L. Rossow, J. Russo, M. Supponen, A.M. Underhill, B.D. Wassom, A. Williams, G. Yadin

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9781800370975

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Reviews

'The Research Handbook on the Law of Virtual and Augmented Reality is an extraordinary contribution to the scholarship in this rapidly developing area. The work boasts an impressive list of contributors, and the depth and breadth of topics is quite striking. One might think that such a work would be of interest primarily to lawyers involved in the computer game industry, or in law and technology. But this area of law now reaches into daily life, and both practicing attorneys and scholars in the areas of tort law (defamation, privacy law, right of publicity), constitutional law, intellectual property, criminal law, and business law will also find much to interest them, and a great deal of insight to assist them in analyzing the very real questions that this area of law now presents us. Recommended.' -- Christine Corcos, Louisiana State University and A&M, US 'The Research Handbook on the Law of Virtual and Augmented Reality offers an all-encompassing view on this field of legal research, containing 20 chapters from scholars in the USA, Asia, and the European Union that explore how these jurisdictions might apply to VR/AR-technologies and apps. Woodrow Barfield and Marc Blitz have edited an outstanding volume that should be read by all, including students and policy makers.' -- Ugo Pagallo, Universita degli Studi di Torino, Italy

Author Information

Edited by Woodrow Barfield has served as professor of engineering and is currently editor of the Virtual Reality journal and is a review editor for Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Marc Jonathan Blitz, Alan Joseph Bennett Professor of Law, Oklahoma City University, School of Law, US

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