Avatars: a right to privacy or a right to publicity?

an article by Angela Adrian in International Journal of Intellectual Property Management Volume 2 Number 3 (2008)

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, No one knows you are a dog: Identity and reputation in virtual worlds.

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