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September 27th, 2022
Metaverse IRL: Tackling Privacy Amid the Rampant Hype and Burst of Deals
Privacy & Data Security Chair Daniel M. Goldberg and Interactive Entertainment Co-Chair Gregory Boyd are quoted in Cybersecurity Law Report’s article, “Metaverse IRL: Tackling Privacy Amid the Rampant Hype and Burst of Deals.” The article discusses privacy issues that lawyers have encountered during real-life metaverse dealmaking and counseling.
Daniel is quoted saying, “Higher sales of headsets and the rise of platforms in 2022 raises the possibility of a mobilization to provide metaverse app experiences. Within the platforms, there will be opportunities for developers to release and be part of that. I see this as most comparable to the app gold rush of the early 2010s when Apple’s App Store opened.” Apple is working on a headset and platform, and has obtained trademarks for Reality One and Reality Pro. “When Apple opens its Reality Whatever, a number of companies can rush out and try to build the first apps for that Reality metaverse,” Daniel said.
The emergence of this new tech market follows the pattern that innovation darts ahead of careful privacy planning. Daniel says, “A lot of these metaverse companies start off scrappy and small, and their goal is just to get the product out there. They’re not always thinking about the privacy issues when they explode. Then they have to retroactively figure it out.” Over half the young tech companies that Gregory Boyd encounters have run up a so-called privacy debt. Greg is quoted saying, “It’s probably seven out of ten. ‘We have a product making a lot of money. Can you help us shove some privacy in here?’”
Daniel says, “Metaverse privacy work, at core, involves upholding longstanding principles.” “Privacy is supposed to be technology agnostic.” Immersive worlds, for example, have faced COPPA restrictions since 1998, he observed.
Full article here. (Behind paywall)
Other Quoted
Contradictory CIPA Rulings Leave Both Sides Saying They’re Right
Daily Journal quotes Jeremy S. Goldman on recent CIPA rulings in Los Angeles courts that reveal a conflicting landscape, where opposing interpretations have left both sides claiming legitimacy. View Article
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‘100%’ Sustainable Claims Pose Mounting Legal Risk for Companies
Bloomberg Law quotes Jeffrey A. Greenbaum on new lawsuits targeting bold marketing claims such as “100% sustainable” that could be misleading consumers. View Article
February 27 2024
Science-Backed Training Helps the Ad Industry Avoid Greenwashing
AdWeek quotes Jeffrey A. Greenbaum on a new training certification program aimed to help advertisers understand how greenwashing can occur. Jeffrey is mentioned as a contributor to the course content. View Article
February 27 2024