The metaverse helps people get close, maybe too close
The metaverse is a 3D interactive world that can be accessed using a VR headset. It may be enjoyable to some, but others are worried about its potential implications.
What is the Problem With the Metaverse?
The metaverse is very interactive and similar to the real world. While those who want to play a game within the metaverse may think that this is usually an advantage to normal games, it can actually pose a problem within the metaverse: harassment can become much more dangerous.
According to CNN, the metaverse is an online world where the difference between the virtual and physical worlds is blurred. This can cause severe problems: for example, Nina Jane Patel, co-founder and metaverse researcher of Kabuni, was immediately verbally and sexually harassed within the metaverse after being in the communal area for merely 30 seconds.
Though the metaverse is not real, harassment within this digital world feels very real. According to Callum Hood, Head of the Research Center for Countering Digital Hate, the metaverse is just like a room with other people. Unlike harassment via social media, which can already be detrimental to one’s wellbeing, harassment received through the metaverse is much more immediate and feels like someone very close to you.
Additionally, there is usually no evidence of this harassment unless someone records everything they do in the metaverse. In social media, however, posts, comments, or direct messages can serve as evidence.
What Measures Have Been Added?
According to Reuters, Meta Platforms has launched a “personal boundary” tool, which allows users to feel that they are nearly four feet (1.2 meters) away from other virtual avatars. Furthermore, PeopleManagment.uk reports that the UK has a worker protection amendment to encourage employers to be more proactive and focused in the steps they take to prevent sexual harassment.
Conclusion
The only real way to stop harassment in the metaverse is an improvement in technology. If companies do not fix the problem, more and more people will experience harassment in the metaverse. These solutions are only small steps to the real solution.