Document Type
Article
Publication details
Post-print of: Adrian, A 2008, 'Avatars: a right to privacy or a right to publicity?', International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 253-260.
Published version available from:
Peer Reviewed
Peer-Reviewed
Abstract
'Virtual world' identities are becoming indistinguishable from 'real' identities, just as 'e-commerce' became indistinguishable from 'commerce'. The problem of the appropriation of personality tends to be associated with 'character merchandising', with a fine line drawn between real people and fictitious characters. The control over online avatar identities has begun to have many real-world consequences. This article is based upon a previous article published in the Computer Law Security Reports, 2008, entitled 'No one knows you are a dog: Identity and reputation in virtual worlds'.