Can you steal an intangible?

[RSS FEED]

Filed under: Culture, Economy, Opinion, Second Life, Legal, Virtual worlds

Can something intangible that only exists as a pattern of bits somewhere on some computer hardware that you've never seen be stolen? Can it be considered actual theft? Can the Law -- as it is actually written and applied -- competently deal with those situations without substantive modification?

Actually the answer to all of these questions is yes. So long as you know what you're actually talking about.

In the words of a certain, famous, fictional Spaniard, 'You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.'

Indeed the whole meaning of theft, particularly when applied to digital and other intangible forms of content has become seriously blurred in popular culture. In the Law, however, it has retained its meaning consistently for most of a century -- and surprisingly, that meaning still allows the Law and courts to apply traditional law to these twenty-first century assets.

Continue reading Can you steal an intangible?



Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments



More...