Exploring crimes in the metaverse
“Metaverse” has been one of the latest buzzwords in the field of technology. It is a persistent, well-connected virtual community. The metaverse is a concept that has been popularized in science fiction but is becoming increasingly relevant as advances in technology and virtual worlds become more sophisticated and immersive.
The metaverse encompasses a wide range of virtual environments, including gaming worlds, social VR platforms, and virtual reality marketplaces. In the metaverse, users can interact with others in real time, participate in activities, purchase virtual goods, and create content.
The metaverse, like any new medium, is vulnerable to new experimentation and in consequence, new crimes — essentially recreating real-life crime.
Metaverse crimes
As the metaverse becomes more popular, more valuable assets are created and traded within it. These virtual assets can take many forms: cryptocurrencies, NFTs, collectible goods, and virtual assets (land, custom goods, etc.).
As a consequence, criminal activity has started to emerge. Criminality in the metaverse is only the next logical step in anthropology — from real physical world crime to digital crimes, and later, digital world crimes.
Some examples of crime in the metaverse include:
- Virtual Theft: Just like in the real world, virtual theft can occur in the metaverse. This can include stealing virtual currency or virtual goods or hacking into accounts to steal personal information.
- Virtual Fraud: This entails the use of false identities or false information to deceive others in the metaverse. It can include phishing scams, selling counterfeit virtual goods, or impersonating other users.
- Virtual Extortion: It is defined as intimidation to gain control over virtual assets or information. For example, threatening to release personal information or to disrupt virtual environments unless a ransom is paid.
- Virtual Harassment: This describes the practice of stalking, bullying, or intimidating someone via a virtual environment, such as posting threatening or abusive messages, spreading false rumors, or creating fake accounts to impersonate others.
The question remains: how seriously should we take these metaverse crimes?
The impact of crimes in the metaverse
Crimes in the metaverse should be taken seriously since they may have real-world ramifications. While virtual environments are not physically present, the assets and information traded within them may have actual value.
For example, virtual cash and virtual products may be turned into real money, and personal information can be used to commit identity theft or other types of fraud. Furthermore, cyberbullying and other types of online abuse may have major consequences for a person’s mental health and well-being.
Furthermore, crimes in the metaverse can also affect the overall security and stability of virtual environments. For example, a hacker stealing virtual currency or disrupting a virtual world can undermine trust in the platform.
Legal implications
The existing laws, such as those governing intellectual property, fraud, money laundering, and cybercrime, can, for example, extend to the metaverse. Governments and law enforcement can punish anyone who violates them.
Furthermore, some virtual environments have their own sets of rules and guidelines governing how users interact with one another and with virtual assets. These rules may include limitations on the sorts of content that may be shared, the purchase and sale of virtual assets, and the resolution of disputes.
As the metaverse grows and evolves, it is conceivable that new laws and regulations will be developed to address the specific concerns and challenges that arise in virtual environments. This might include rules governing virtual property rights, virtual taxation, virtual identity verification, and other issues.
It is essential to ensure the safety and security of users with these rules and regulations, not only in the physical world but also in virtual environments.
Putri
Image by Freepik
