Wielding the power to blur lines between physical and virtual, augmented reality (“AR”) builds a new medium of human interaction, in which novel legal considerations emerge. From copyright infringement in derivative works to unclear ownership in virtual content generated over a physical object, creations born out of AR raise IP-related legal issues that may not have been contemplated by existing legislation. The legal vacuum within which this technology operates could allow businesses to meddle with competitor brand placements, and even introduce new platforms for the commission of crimes such as illicit drug transactions and terrorist activities.
The mass adoption of AR may also threaten a key concern in our society – data privacy. Capable of recording, synthesizing and storing new forms of sensitive, private data, AR has the potential to forge a global panopticon-like society, with constant surveillance in public and semi-public spaces.
Curious about what other challenges AR will make a reality?
Head of Rajah & Tann Singapore’s Intellectual Property, Sports & Gaming Practice, Lau Kok Keng and Associate Zachary Foo are pleased to partner the National University of Singapore Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Law (TRAIL) in yet another deep-dive publication titled “The Rise of Augmented Reality and its Novel Challenges”.
Read the full article here.
