Comments on: Crossroads of Social Capital http://madisonian.net/2009/11/07/crossroads-of-social-capital/ a blog about law, tech, culture, and related things Thu, 10 May 2012 20:32:56 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John Nelson http://madisonian.net/2009/11/07/crossroads-of-social-capital/comment-page-1/#comment-299723 John Nelson Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:29:35 +0000 http://madisonian.net/?p=3340#comment-299723 Unfortunately, concepts of law and regulation in virtual worlds appears to be less interesting than whether FreeCreditReport.com is trademarkable. Ah well. :-) If this was Slashdot, I'd move to Mod up! Unfortunately, concepts of law and regulation in virtual worlds appears to be less interesting than whether FreeCreditReport.com is trademarkable. Ah well. :-) If this was Slashdot, I’d move to Mod up!

]]> By: John Nelson http://madisonian.net/2009/11/07/crossroads-of-social-capital/comment-page-1/#comment-299599 John Nelson Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:23:12 +0000 http://madisonian.net/?p=3340#comment-299599 Another interesting question is how best to protect these 'reputation economies.' Some argue property law is the best and most appropriate legal protection. Some argue contract. I've written on how property is not the panacea it's advocates believe, and I am working on a paper on how privacy and contract law may be the solution. People who 'pooh-pooh' the value inherent in virtual resources often do not understand what value is, or how it becomes attached to something. It's certain there is value in virtual resources -- less certain is what to do with that value. The linked PhD looks interesting on the overall market for these goods. It will be nice to have a resource on this beyond Castronova's seminal, albeit a bit dated, work on virtual economies. Another interesting question is how best to protect these ‘reputation economies.’ Some argue property law is the best and most appropriate legal protection. Some argue contract. I’ve written on how property is not the panacea it’s advocates believe, and I am working on a paper on how privacy and contract law may be the solution.

People who ‘pooh-pooh’ the value inherent in virtual resources often do not understand what value is, or how it becomes attached to something. It’s certain there is value in virtual resources — less certain is what to do with that value.

The linked PhD looks interesting on the overall market for these goods. It will be nice to have a resource on this beyond Castronova’s seminal, albeit a bit dated, work on virtual economies.

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