Open AccessINIURIA IN CYBERSPACE
Author(s) -
Frans E. Marx
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
obiter (port elizabeth. online)/obiter (port elizabeth)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2709-555X
pISSN - 1682-5853
DOI - 10.17159/obiter.v31i1.12382
Subject(s) - metaverse , cyberspace , sketch , liability , focus (optics) , law and economics , political science , internet privacy , law , sociology , the internet , computer science , virtual reality , world wide web , human–computer interaction , physics , optics , algorithm
The purpose of this note is to investigate some real-world disputes that may arise as a result of unlawful conduct in virtual worlds. The note will firstly expand the background of virtual worlds and then sketch some scenarios, which could potentially lead to liability in law. The main focus will be on actionability in criminal law and delict in South African law. Special attention will be given to the question whether personality rights of members of virtual worlds can be infringed by, for instance, the rape of their avatars. The question whether liability for economic loss caused unlawfully to members of virtual worlds by other members of such worlds will also be addressed.