International Law in the Metaverse Era: Towards a New Model of Regulatory

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Public and International Law, University of Mazandaran, Iran.

2 Master's Degree in International Law, University of Mazandaran, Iran.

10.22080/frai.2025.29321.1017

Abstract

In this new age, cyberspace, in its course of evolution, has reached its third generation, namely the Semantic Web. In the world of Web 3.0, commonly referred to as the Metaverse, individuals interact with others through their digital identities, embodied in self-created avatars. The Metaverse, as an emerging ecosystem, has dissolved the traditional boundaries between the real and virtual worlds, introducing novel challenges to various concepts of international law, ranging from sovereignty and jurisdiction to international responsibility and human rights. Furthermore, the active participation of new actors, particularly technology-developing corporations alongside traditional actors, underscores the necessity of adopting a new regulatory approach. The present study, by critically examining various models of digital space regulation, aims to elaborate on the need to develop a new regulatory framework adapted to the specific features of this emerging ecosystem.

Keywords


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Volume 1, Issue 1
June 2025
Pages 19-28
  • Receive Date: 24 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 03 June 2025
  • Accept Date: 03 June 2025
  • First Publish Date: 03 June 2025
  • Publish Date: 01 June 2025