The Legal Challenges Of Augmented Reality – Part 1: The Basics

The sudden rise of Pokémon Go was one of the biggest news stories of 2016. While the introduction of reality-altering applications has been underway for some time, the unprecedented popularity of the game and the resulting controversies (discussed in further detail below) generated new buzz in the legal community as it scrambled to reconcile the law with the changing technological landscape.

For those who may not be aware, virtual reality (VR) is an artificial simulation of real life environments, whereas augmented reality (AR) blends VR elements with the real world to create an enhanced or 'augmented' version of reality. Pokémon Go, for instance, is a free-to-play (with the option to buy in-game currency) mobile app that requires players to walk around to catch superimposed Pokémon. The app uses the GPS on a player's phone to monitor the player's actual whereabouts and introduces virtual components of the game (such as Pokéstops or gyms for training Pokémon) on the