Vrste odgovornosti za povredu žigom zaštićenih oznaka u virtuelnoj realnosti

Abstract

Due to the increased development of digital technology, a new form of social and economic exchange in Virtual Reality (VR) has been created. The users can socially interact with each other through their avatars. Development of VR technology brings a host of legal questions surrounding both the intellectual property of the actual technology as well as unlawful activity within the VR space itself. The use of trademarks in VR is a very complex issue. Any use of trademarks in VR by third party does not constitute an infringement. Depending on the facts of the case, a trademark owner may have potential causes of action against two separate defendants: the user of the platform or the platform itself. If the alleged infringer is a user of the platform and recreates a registrant’s trademark within the VR space of his own violation, the registrant would likely want to sue the user. The second option for plaintiffs is to sue the platform company itself under the theory of either primary or secondary liability. Primary liability will arise where the company itself decided to use trademark in the VR without permission, whereas secondary liability will arise where the company allows VR platform users to use someone else’s trademark, also without permission.