Vallari Gokhale, University School of Law and Legal Studies, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
ABSTRACT
As technology continues to advance, the legal world is faced with new and emerging challenges. The newest issue that has been on everyone’s lips is the metaverse. The word is an amalgamation of the terms “meta-”, which means transcending boundaries, and “-verse”, which is short for “universe”. In a layman’s language, the metaverse is a universe that transcends boundaries. Such terminology only begins to explain the scope of the metaverse. Starting from video games the platform has now spread to such a level that countries like South Korea have started to incorporate the metaverse into their public administrative system. With the ongoing pandemic, people have been looking to switch to a virtual escape from their physical confinement. It is not a surprise that in these circumstances, the metaverse has gained a lot of traction. The recent announcement of Facebook rebranding itself as “Meta” has once again put the platform in the spotlight. All the developments point towards the fact that now, a nationwide or even a universal metaverse is not that far-fetched of a dream. In light of these developments, it becomes imperative to examine India’s preparedness for the issue. This article attempts to appraise some of the legal impediments that will face India in the building of a metaverse.
