Ready Lawyer One: Legal Issues in the Innovation of Virtual Reality

Abstract

This Note examines the legal considerations of producing and distributing commercial virtual reality hardware and content in a new era of virtual reality development. The Note first offers a brief history of the virtual reality industry before examining the legal challenges posed by these devices. These challenges include retaining confidential information, securing funding as high-tech startups, and protecting intellectual property during development and content production. It also discusses the privacy concerns over biometric data and the physical and cognitive risks posed by the use of HMDs. This Note offers a preliminary consideration of the legal issues that lawyers may confront as more HMD developers, content producers, and their potential partners join the still nascent virtual reality industry.

Keywords: virtual reality, intellectual property, innovation, gaming