The laws of the virtual worlds

Virtual worlds are places where millions of people come to play, trade, create, and socialize. In this Article, we provide a brief history of virtual worlds and examine two legal questions raised by virtual world societies. First, we ask whether virtual objects might be understood as constituting legal property. Second, we discuss whether democracy and governance are concepts that might be applied meaningfully to social conflicts that arise within virtual worlds. As virtual worlds continue to evolve into virtual communities with separate rules and expectations, it is important to understand the interaction between the laws of the real world and the laws of the virtual worlds.