METAVERSES AS A NEW OBJECT OF REGULATION FOR INFORMATION LAW

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to analyze the methods of legal regulation of metaverses. Research objectives: to identify the legal nature of the metaverse; to analyze its architectural features that can influence legal regulation; to summarize foreign experience in this field; to study domestic law and court practice; to identify the possibilities of creating the metaverse legal institute. The following methods were used: deduction, induction, systematization, legal forecasting, legal comparative studies, modeling.

Author came to the following results. The technology of the metaverse has not yet been widely used in the Russian Federation. However, it is necessary to look for legal instruments to protect citizens from the collection of personal data by the owners of these types of information systems, as well as from illegal manipulation by the owners and users of the metaverse, including the regulation of social engineering technologies. Foreign experience shows that the metaverse can become a promising end-to-end digital technology, for this, public authorities need to create legal norms that stimulate the lawful behavior of owners and users of this information system, avoiding “digital luddism”.

The analysis of the metaverse allowed us to assert that so far it is an evolving social network, which makes it possible to extend to its owners and users the norms of law governing similar social relations. The analysis of judicial practice carried out by the author revealed multiple legal gaps and legal conflicts in the law of social networks, which do not allow implementing this proposal in till scope. The article makes specific proposals to eliminate significant shortcomings in the existing legal system, and also proposes a legal definition of the metaverse. The implementation of these proposals will contribute to the regulation of this digital technology in Russia and the formation of a new legal institute — metaverse law.