NPO Virtual Rights
“International Metaverse Council” Releases Report on Metaverse Legislative Trends in Other Countries
Released a report on legal trends in South Korea as the first step
The International Metaverse Council, which consists of the NPO Virtual Rights (Chairman: Yuto Kunitake) and the VR Culture & Rights Committee (Representative: Sung Min Woo), released the “Case Report (Korea)” on October 4th. did.
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About the International Metaverse Council
(1) Purpose of establishment
As the Metaverse expands internationally, we will discuss and examine the necessity of incorporating an international perspective into the policy proposals and project promotion of advocacy groups in each country. We will also discuss and examine individual and specific policy trends.
(2) Direction of discussion
In the case of Japan, it is assumed that the legislative public opinion based on regulatory cases in other countries will grow. In addition, multilateral communication and transactions exist in the Metaverse space, and it is assumed that regulations in one country will affect users in other countries.
(3) Number of discussions
About 6 times from June to September 2022
Overview of the report
▼Full Report▼
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DxlZrGBKGKUY7md2CSH-PouEg61m07ly/view?usp=sharing (1) Regulatory public opinion in South Korea
The vice-minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has expressed specific concern that “the metaverse has become a hotbed for sexual crimes against teens,” and has started discussions on how to regulate it. On the other hand, if it leads to excessive sexual expression regulation, it may lead to the arrest of thousands of creators like the “Act on Sexual Protection of Children and Youths (commonly known as the Achon Act)”, South Korea’s Metaverse said. The group has responded. *In South Korea, the Achon Act regulates “expressions that can be recognized as juveniles”, so-called sexual expressions related to non-existent juveniles, which affects the creative activities of creators.
(2) Concrete Metaverse regulation bills
In South Korea, the first round of Metaverse regulations has already been submitted to the National Assembly: a bill to revise the Act on Special Measures Concerning Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, etc., and a bill to revise the Act on Promotion of Use of Information and Communications Networks and Protection of Information. These are bills that regulate sexual acts performed through avatars, but due to the fact that the definitions are not clear, the possibility of false accusations, and the possibility that the latter law will not be recognized even if both parties agree, Concerns have been expressed by Metaverse users and creators.
(3) Metaverse-related budget and Web 3.0
South Korea’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Information and Communications has allocated a certain amount of budget for the Metaverse for FY2022, but some measures have been put on hold due to the change of government. In addition, along with the decline in Web 3.0, investment in the Metaverse is also declining.
About the VR Culture & Rights Committee
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Korean Metaverse organization. Established in March 2022 by creators, users, and researchers who lead the Metaverse culture for the purpose of promoting culture, policy research, and archiving projects related to the Metaverse. The chairman, Min-Woo Song, is a Metaverse researcher at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
Number of members: about 55 (individuals, groups, corporations) Date of establishment: March 11, 2022
About NPO Virtual Rights
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A VR advocacy organization whose main purpose is to protect the rights of users and creators and disseminate culture. As an NPO corporation with about 950 individuals, groups, and corporations participating as members, it conducts policy research projects, cultural promotion projects, research projects, policy proposal projects, etc. Certified and established as an NPO corporation that held the inaugural general meeting in VR space in March 2021. Japanese Red Cross Society Tokyo Branch Awarded Letter of Appreciation Organization.
Number of members: about 950 (individuals, groups, corporations) Date of establishment: March 29, 2021
Location: 3-22-23 Otsuka, Inzai City, Chiba Prefecture
Organization HP: https://www.npovr.org
Details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000019.000077712.html