Our 2021 metaverse will include fully immersive AR and VR worlds that transcend screen viewing and put the user spatially inside the game. The effects of such experiences on children are significant, particularly bullying, harassment, and lewd content. Professor Jeremy Bailenson has investigated the effects of VR on children and young people. The future of the metaverse will be a complex place filled with possibilities and dangers.

Interoperability

The future of the internet will include a metaverse, where people and brands can interact with each other and exchange ideas. It will be speech-based and more physical than today’s internet, but it won’t be owned by anyone. It will be transparent, collaborative, and recognize social responsibilities. These are the kinds of concerns we need to consider as we shape the future of the metaverse.

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Contextual integrity

First, let’s address some basic questions about the metaverse. How do we ensure that all users behave in a safe way? What are the consequences of engaging in unethical behaviors in the metaverse? What kind of rules should be enforced to ensure that users stay within the boundaries of the metaverse? And what should be the role of government? These are questions that will become increasingly important as the metaverse evolves and grows.

Reporting abusive behavior

In recent weeks, there have been reports of sexual harassment, hate speech, and other problematic behavior in the Metaverse, a virtual world owned by Facebook and its subsidiary, Oculus. Meta has encouraged staff to take part in the testing process of its metaverse platform. In one instance, a male avatar sex-harassed a woman’s avatar, as reported by The Verge. The lack of adequate controls in the metaverse makes it difficult to detect misbehavior. And the incidents happen in real time, making it extremely difficult to report them.

Guidelines

As a nascent technology, the Metaverse is a hot topic. Game developers, technology companies, and other industry titans are experimenting with this space. These innovations combine a wide range of technologies, including virtual reality platforms, blockchain, 3-D graphics, sensors, and VR-enabled headsets. Here are some guidelines for making the Metaverse safe for all. While these are not comprehensive, they provide some guidelines for the creation of a safe, inclusive experience.

Rules

Metaverse users should be protected from the presence of ads and other sponsored content. Users should be free from repeated pop-ups and other intrusive forms of advertising. The rules should also prohibit the use of the metaverse for illegal purposes, such as gambling. Government attempts to regulate the Metaverse are outside the scope of the Rules. These Rules should provide clear guidance to developers of metaverse services, including their development and implementation.