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16 J. Marshall Rev. Intell. Prop. L. [ii] (2016-2017)
Commercial Creations: The Role of End User License Agreements in Controlling the Exploitation of User Generated Content

handle is hein.journals/johnmars16 and id is 398 raw text is: 


                          THE JOHN MARSHALL

         REVIEW OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW













      COMMERCIAL CREATIONS: THE ROLE OF END USER LICENSE AGREEMENTS IN
           CONTROLLING THE EXPLOITATION OF USER GENERATED CONTENT

                                      NEHA   AHUJA


                                        ABSTRACT

This article considers the current licensing regime used to control the exploitation of copyright
protected works within the online interactive entertainment sector-particularly virtual worlds
including multiplayer online games-to further author new copyrightable works. This article aims to
identify the gaps that have arisen on account of the nature of these subsequently authored works and
the potential for their exploitation under the said licensing regime. Users and the proprietors of
virtual worlds often end up in conflict over the monetization and commercialization of user generated
content on account of contradictory yet overlapping rights created by copyright law when controlled
by contract law. This article briefly looks at the reasons behind these conflicts and the extent to which,
if at all, the practice of law regulates them, for better or for worse.

To facilitate this, after a detailed introduction to virtual worlds, the related intellectual property rights
laws contained in them and user generated content, a study of copyright law and contract law in
relation to works falling within the realm of these two principles has been used to deliberate the role
of End User License Agreements in curtailing and controlling user generated content. The resulting
analysis will be used to arrive at possible resolutions, in the form of consumer protection laws, for the
issues inherent in this licensing regime. Research for the above theory has focused on the laws of and
practices in the United Kingdom while drawing inspiration from a more active jurisdiction in this field
of law and commerce, the United States of America, wherever the author deemed fit and relevant.
There has also been a personal, in-depth discussion with a well-known former video game developer
to understand the evolution of the industry and its impact on the development of the laws surrounding
it.



                         Copyright © 2017 The John Marshall Law School




      Cite as Neha Ahuja, Commercial Creations: The Role of End User License Agreements in
      Controlling the Exploitation of User Generated Content, 16 J. MARSHALL REV. INTELL.
                                    PROP. L. 382 (2017).

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