On 1 November 2023, the Litigation Committee, with support from the Technology Law Committee, presented an information-packed session on ‘Litigating in and about the metaverse’. Moderated by the fantastic Lydia Danon (Cooke Young & Keidan, England) and Robert Schwinger (Norton Rose Fulbright, US), the engaging panel consisted of: Adrien Basdevant (Entropy, France), Sarah Malik (SOL International, United Arab Emirates), Carolina Veas (CMS Carey & Allende, Chile) and Sarah Zadeh (NautaDutilh, Netherlands). Aided by a terrific, short video (see below), the panel attempted to demystify the question of what the metaverse is and addressed some of the issues that litigators will need to confront as this new medium evolves.

Adrien Basdevant, a specialized lawyer in digital law, recently submitted a report to the government on the development of metaverses – their applications, opportunities, risks, and environmental impact. He provides us with a summary of his conclusions. Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser, Head of ESSEC Alumni content.

In his presentation, Adrien Basdevant discusses the articulation between data protection and other regulations aimed at protecting broader social issues. In doing so, he gives practical tips to legal professionals in their dealings with Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, the use of algorithms and the distinction between personal and non-personal data. Filmed at ERA's conference on Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence Systems, Online, 29 - 31 March 2021.

Régis VABRES

The development of digital assets is overturning traditional economic circuits (by freeing themselves from the role played by intermediaries), disrupting the way activities are financed, and offering multiple and innovative perspectives for all sectors of activity. Such developments also raise many questions, particularly regarding their legal, accounting and tax treatment, both in France and abroad.

Dear non-fungible humans, are you curious about what's behind an NFT? Let's dive into the most famous NFT to see what's really happening "under the hood". From Blockchain to Smart Contracts, through metadata, we're revealing it all to you!

Technological choices influence our daily lives, yet they largely escape the democratic debate. We are experiencing a “Coup Data”, a seizure of power by those who process data.