Virtual Rights? Property in Online Game Objects and Characters
(2008) 17(2) Information and Communications Technology Law 95-106
27 Pages Posted: 25 Aug 2013
Date Written: February 23, 2008
Abstract
Players in online games are claiming the right to trade virtual “goods,” something which is contested by game developers and generally prohibited by the contracts they offer to prospective players. This article argues that although this claim does not fit easily into the framework of copyright law, the continuing expansion of information technology into every aspect of everyday life makes the recognition of such rights inevitable. There are also good theoretical arguments for granting players the ability to trade their virtual possessions for real money.
Keywords: Internet law, copyright law, online games, virtual worlds
JEL Classification: K29
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation