Europe just placed a €400M bet on Virtual Worlds—while Netflix makes a bold move to own your digital identity. In this edition, we cover the EU’s new AI Act Whistleblower Tool, a fresh evidence-based verdict on XR health impacts, and the escalating “AI Arms Race” between Google and Meta to build the next generation of playable, generated worlds.
III International MetaverseUA Congress 2026 in Alicante on rights, innovation and digital society. Call for Papers open until 10 February.
III International MetaverseUA Congress 2026 in Alicante on rights, innovation and digital society. Call for Papers open until 10 February.
Workshop “The Metaverse and the Future Virtual Economy” with Prof. Timothy Jung at the University of Alicante. Explore XR, virtual worlds and the future digital economy.
Explore Europe’s latest moves in XR and virtual worlds with MetaverseUA Chair Newsletter #22 – November 2025. Discover the launch of the Virtual Worlds Association, new EU standards for interoperability, Europe’s first Code of Conduct for immersive tech, upcoming large-scale test beds, and Denmark’s groundbreaking plan to protect citizens from deepfakes. A snapshot of ethics, innovation, and governance shaping the future Metaverse.
Explore the latest in XR innovation and digital policy with MetaverseUA Chair Newsletter #21 – October 2025. Discover UNESCO’s first Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects, the EU’s push to simplify digital laws and protect minors online, and two major XR events — IMMERSIVE X Festival and UnitedXR Europe 2025. A journey through culture, technology, and the future of the Metaverse.
Watch the recordings of the II International Congress “A Metaverse for the Good” (June 2025). Revisit key talks on AI, digital rights, ethics, education, and immersive technologies in the Metaverse. Now available online!
Discover highlights of the 2nd “A Metaverse for the Good” Congress in Alicante: XR/AI expert insights, Metaverse developments, and public consultation results.
Welcome to the latest edition of the MetaverseUA Chair Newsletter. Following our beloved monthly tradition, we are providing you with a new compilation of the latest news regarding virtual and augmented reality, as well as other emerging technologies that are contributing to the shaping of this brave new world! So, grab your VR headset and get ready, for exciting (or terrifying?) times are ahead!
Join MetaverseUA’s “The AI Race in the Metaverse” workshop at CPDP 2025 in Brussels, May 21–23, featuring leading AI and tech law experts.
We’re pleased to announce that the deadline for submissions to the II International Congress «Metaverse for the Good» has been extended until April 25, 2025!
The countdown to the 2025 International Congress has begun, and this year, we’ve taken things to the next level in exploring the digital worlds.
Welcome to the latest edition of the MetaverseUA Chair Newsletter. Following our beloved monthly tradition, we are providing you with a new compilation of the latest news regarding virtual and augmented reality, as well as other emerging technologies that are contributing to the shaping of this brave new world! So, grab your VR headset and get ready, for exciting (or terrifying?) times are ahead!
Hey there, Metaversian friends!
Welcome to the new issue of the MetaverseUA Chair newsletter!
The world of emerging tech is moving fast, and 2025 is already shaping up to be a game-changer.
Buckle up! 🚀
The European Metaverse Research Network and the Academic Chair for the Responsible Development of the Metaverse of the University of Alicante are launching a Call for Submissions for the II International Congress “Metaverse for the Good”, organized in the framework of the Project on the Implementation of the Charter of Digital Rights financed by the public entity Red.es in Alicante, 11-12 June.
Here we are again, with your favourite newsletter from the MetaverseUA Chair! Just in time for Christmas, it’s the perfect read for a cozy break by the fireplace, paired with a cup of hot chocolate—or perhaps a glass of wine, we’ll leave up that to you!
We are delighted to share that the recording of our most recent «Thursdays in the Metaverse» webinar is now available.
Here we are again, with your favourite newsletter from the MetaverseUA Chair! Just in time for Christmas, it’s the perfect read for a cozy break by the fireplace, paired with a cup of hot chocolate—or perhaps a glass of wine, we’ll leave up that to you!
We are pleased to announce the release of the fourth paper in our series, MetaverseUA Chair Research Papers, titled ‘Decentralised Digital Identity in the Metaverse under eIDAS 2.0’, authored by Steffen Schwalm, Senior Manager Digital Identity & Trust at MSG, and Andre Kudra, a strong advocate of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and a Sovrin Board of Trustees member.
We’re excited to share the recording of the second webinar in our «Thursdays in the Metaverse» series! This session featured Brittan Heller, a renowned expert at the intersection of technology, law, and human rights, who delivered a captivating talk titled “The Embodied Web”
We are pleased to announce the release of the third paper in our series, MetaverseUA Chair Research Papers titled ‘Avatars and the Protection of Digital Identities in the Metaverse‘, authored by Martin Ebers, President of the Robotics & AI Law Society (RAILS) and one of the members of the Chair’s Scientific Committee.
We are pleased to announce the release of the second paper in our series, MetaverseUA Chair Research Papers titled ‘Personal Data processing within Immersive Virtual Worlds: Privacy challenges in the interconnected data-driven Metaverse‘, authored by Pablo Trigo, Researcher at LSTS, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), and Vagelis Papakonstantinou, one of the members of the Chair’s Scientific Committee and Professor of Law at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium).
Hey there, Metaversian friends!
Your favorite newsletter is back! We know, you missed us. In the meantime, a few things have changed in the world: summer is over, the President of the United States has changed, and the first of the the MetaverseUA Chair Research Papers’ series has been published (read it here). One thing hasn’t changed: our passion for keeping you updated on the latest in tech and sparking a few thoughts along the way. So, let’s dive in!
We are pleased to announce the release of the first paper in our series, MetaverseUA Chair Research Papers titled ‘A European Regulatory Framework for the Metaverse’, authored by Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballet, one of the members of the Chair’s Scientific Committee, and Aurelio López-Tarruella Martínez, the Chair’s Director.
We’re thrilled to share the recording of the inaugural webinar in our «Thursdays in the Metaverse» series! Our first event featured Anselm Küsters, a leading expert in EU policy and digital governance, who presented a thought-provoking talk titled “Standards and Competition in the Metaverse: Assessing the EU’s Approach to Virtual Worlds”.
With the new academic year upon us, the MetaverseUA Chair is back in action with a brand-new webinar series, called «Thursdays in the Metaverse”
Welcome to a new issue of the MetaverseUA Chair newsletter. June was a busy month for the Chair, with our fantastic International Congress. If you missed it, you can check a summary in our previous issue of this newsletter, with pictures and recordings. Many more interesting resources are coming, including some papers presented in Alicante during those exciting sunny days. But enough talking about the past. Let´s check what is ahead for Virtual Worlds. Buckle up! Let’s go to it.
Surprise! Thought you’d seen the last of us? Think again!
As we prepare to embark on a (well-deserved) summer break, we couldn’t resist leaving you with a special parting gift to keep the Metaverse excitement alive throughout your summer.
Dear Metaverse enthusiasts!
Our International Congress concluded, and what a blast we had! If you missed it, fear not. We’ve crafted a concise summary of the event’s key moments. Moreover, we’ll soon be uploading the presentation recordings to our website, allowing you to relax with some popcorn and delve into the virtual worlds at your own pace. Additionally, the papers presented by our speakers will be accessible shortly for your review. So, there’s plenty of exciting content for you to explore and enjoy!
As you may have heard, the MetaverseUA Chair will be hosting its International Congress on the “Responsible Development of the Metaverse” next week! This event promises to be a pivotal gathering for experts, enthusiasts, and industry leaders to discuss and shape the future of virtual worlds.
Welcome back to our virtual corner, where we present you the latest news regarding the legal and ethical aspects of the Metaverse and closely connected topics!
The Academic Chair for the Responsible Development of the Metaverse is pleased to announce its I International Congress: “Towards a Responsible Development of the Metaverse”.
Welcome to a new issue of the MetaverseUA Chair newsletter. April comes full of novelties in regarding the Metaverse. Buckle up! Let´s go to it.
Here we are again with your favorite appointment: the newsletter from the Academic Chair for the Responsible Development of the Metaverse! In the past two weeks, the world hasn’t stopped, and it seems that the European Union hasn’t either. So we haven’t either. We have worked to help you stay updated and kick off the weekend in the best way. Get your popcorn (or coffee) ready, here’s newsletter #8 for you!
Aware of your remarkable efficiency and understanding that you’ve already gone through all the readings we proposed in our previous newsletter, we’ve crafted a new edition featuring the latest news regarding virtual worlds and other disruptive technologies to offer you a pleasant diversion while we wait for new materials. What can we say, we’re just that selfless… So grab your coffee and croissant and let the day start!
Greetings, beloved Metaverse enthusiasts!
The MetaverseUA Chair is back in action, and you know what that means… exactly! We’ve asked ChatGPT for crafted with our very own hands a new edition of our globally acclaimed newsletter. This latest issue is set to compile all the noteworthy news in the AI/Metaverse/Immersive Technologies domains we stumbled upon during the Christmas break to help you kick off the year well-informed (our bosses don’t buy into the whole vacation idea, what can you do). So, strap on those virtual reality glasses, and let’s dive in…
Greetings, beloved Metaverse enthusiasts!
The MetaverseUA Chair is back in action, and you know what that means… exactly! We’ve asked ChatGPT for crafted with our very own hands a new edition of our globally acclaimed newsletter. This latest issue is set to compile all the noteworthy news in the AI/Metaverse/Immersive Technologies domains we stumbled upon during the Christmas break to help you kick off the year well-informed (our bosses don’t buy into the whole vacation idea, what can you do). So, strap on those virtual reality glasses, and let’s dive in…
Hello,
Here we go again! Welcome to the last edition of our cherished newsletter for 2023. In this issue, we’ve compiled the most recent and captivating articles about IA/Metaverse/Immersive Technologies for you to peruse. Feel free to choose the ones that pique your interest, though we highly recommend not missing out any of them—Gotta catch ‘em all!
Hello,
A lot has happened since our last conversation. From unexpected poisonings and the Magnificent Seven convening to even a murder… If keeping up with these rapid developments seems daunting, don’t worry. We’ve compiled all the recent news about IA/Metaverse/Immersive Technologies matters for you to effortlessly stay abreast of the ever-evolving technological landscape. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into it.
Dear Metaverse enthusiasts,
We know you’re probably still recovering from the spookiest night of the year, so we’ve brewed up this wonderfully spooky newsletter to add some excitement to your transition back to everyday life.
So be ready for a terrific compilation of articles, legal texts, and other information of interest about Metaverse and AI.
The MetaverseUA Chair now has a newsletter!
Through this bi-weekly report, our primary aim is to keep you well-informed about the ever-evolving Metaverse and other groundbreaking technologies, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. Our approach involves a rotation between two distinct types of publications. One of them will be a comprehensive compilation of the most significant news and developments from the preceding month. The other will serve as a curated collection, featuring links to articles, posts, and other insightful editorial pieces related to these exciting subjects.
El próximo martes 6 de junio a las 12.00 horas, el Director de la Cátedra MetaversoUA, Aurelio López-Tarruella, hablará sobre los retos que presenta el desarrollo responsable del Metaverso en la Jornada “La protección del software mirando al futuro”
We are pleased to inform you that the EMRN now has a website. As you may know, the Metaverse Chair is part of the European Metaverse Research Network (EMRN), which had received funding provided through an unrestricted gift by Meta in order to conduct a multidisciplinary research on the metaverse to explore the implications of this transformative technology.
El próximo 1 de junio, el director de la Cátedra, Aurelio López-Tarruella, y una de las miembros del Comité Científico, Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras, formarán parte del “Curso Especial de Derecho en el Metaverso y otras experiencias” organizado por la Escuela de Práctica Jurídica de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid
The Chair Metaverse UA launches its LinkedIn and its Youtube profiles to connect with professionals, students and enthusiasts of this exciting field we are exploring.
Aurelio López-Tarruella, director of the MetaverseUA Chair, will participate in the conference “More Than Just a Game” that will take place in London from 19th to 21st April 2023
Beatriz SERRANO SÁNCHEZ, junior researcher at the Chair, was recently interviewed by Torrevieja’s local TV about the most relevant aspects of the work carried out by the MetaverseUA Chair.
On the 16th-17th March, the director of the Chair for the responsible development of the Metaverse, Prof. Aurelio López-Tarruella, will participate in the ASEDA Conference on «Metaverse, tokenised art and intellectual property»
On February 10th, the inaugural meeting of the Scientific Committee of the MetaversoUA Chair took place at the Alicante Campus of the UA, with the presence of the Rector Amparo Navarro, in order to define and initiate the activities for the first year of work.
The University of Alicante and Meta have agreed to create the MetaverseUA Chair, which is part of Meta’s XR Programs and Research Fund and aims to promote independent academic research in Europe on ethical and legal aspects of the metaverse, such as preserving digital identity or protecting personal data.
Private International Law Area, University of Alicante
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