| NOTAS: | "As virtual worlds emerge as the next probable frontier for the internet, European policy makers are eager to take this opportunity to apply the lessons learnt from the last digital revolution and ensure that European values are the founding principles of these virtual spaces. The authors propose a conceptualisation of virtual worlds based on its phases of development and a definition that captures both virtual worlds in their current state as well as their foreseeable features as technology develops. On this basis, the report goes on to describe the potential policy issues raised by virtual worlds which, in many cases, are already covered by existing EU legislation. For those issues falling beyond the scope of existing laws, however, the state of development of virtual worlds, still in their birth stage, cautions against certain types of regulatory interventions given the level of uncertainty in the direction of their development." |
