UAE to explore strategies for regulating the negative aspects of the metaverse

At the 12th Regional Intellectual Property Crime Conference for the Middle East and North Africa, held in Dubai, experts highlighted the need for proper legislation to govern intellectual property rights in the virtual world, specifically in the metaverse. The conference emphasized that companies should prioritize protecting their trademarks and unique assets in the metaverse, to safeguard their intellectual property.

Ali bin Khatam, a senior advocate general at Dubai Public Prosecution, noted that IP protection in the metaverse is a complex legal issue that requires careful consideration. He posed questions such as who is responsible for protecting trademarks in virtual reality and whether companies should register their trademarks in the metaverse. He emphasized the need for clear legislation and solutions to address these issues.

Bin Khatam pointed out that it is currently easy to counterfeit items in the metaverse by copying an existing trademark from the real world. However, the most challenging situation arises when a trademark is duplicated in a different virtual reality. He emphasized the need for legislation and protection to address this issue.