Nicky Ree designs virtual clothing for users of the online community Second Life. In this post, she recounts her efforts in combating another designer whom she alleges is infringing on her work. While fashion designs in the “real” world generally aren’t protected by copyright (not yet, anyway), these designs are virtual, and hence the digital images of the designs are protected. Ms. Ree supplies some screen shots to illustrate the alleged infringement.
Ms. Ree’s post also illustrates her attempts to use the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s notice and take down procedure to have Linden Labs remove the allegedly infringing materials from Second Life, and some of the troubles she ran into along the way.
Update to add: Plagiarism Today recently posted an in-depth look at infringement in Second Life.