Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Jurisprudence and Principles of Islamic Law, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2
PhD Student, Department of Islamic jurisprudence and principles of Islamic Law, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
10.22054/jplr.2026.95855.3047
Abstract
Metaverse gaming platforms enable users to create and publish virtual worlds, images, music, avatar wearables, and game experiences. In this environment, unauthorized use of a work may consist of several distinct acts, including making a digital copy, converting it into a three-dimensional model, storing it on a server, and offering it for viewing or transaction. Using a descriptive-analytical method and a comparative approach, this study examined copyright enforcement in European Union and Iranian law and assessed four gaming platforms as practical examples. The findings showed that, in the European Union, the rights of reproduction and communication to the public, Article 17 of the Digital Single Market Directive, and the Digital Services Act provide a framework for identifying infringement, determining platform obligations, and protecting lawful uses; nevertheless, removal or blocking must be proportionate, reasoned, and open to challenge. In Iran, existing laws cover a substantial part of unauthorized reproduction, publication, distribution, offering, and alteration, but the making-available right, intermediary liability, and users’ right to challenge decisions remain insufficiently clear. The Intellectual Property Protection Bill addresses part of this gap by recognizing electronic reproduction, making works available to the public, and publication and reproduction intermediaries.
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