A new realm to rule?
Experts from The Economist newspaper have predicted that 2023 will be “the year of the Metaverse”. But as more people establish themselves in the virtual world, big questions are beginning to arise. For example…
...should people in the metaverse be held to the same standards as in the real world? For example, if they behave badly or if they do something good? What examples can you think of?
...what rules should there be? For example, should people have more freedom online than they do in the real world?
...and most importantly, who should have the power to decide the answer to these questions? The creators of the metaverse? Governments? The general public? Or someone else?
Let us know your opinions in the comments below.
There are sure to be lots of different ideas, so make sure you read what other students have said. Wherever possible, share your new ideas as a reply to another student to keep the discussion going!
Comments (152)
Reality is one thing but virtual reality is another. Think about it this way, is not freedom to do whatever we wanted not something most of us would be welcome to the idea of? But why do we still have rules and laws? Because there needs to be a balance amongst liberties. If the same standards did not go for the metaverse, then why connect it to human beings who need guidiance and order to be recognised as a higher life form which differentiates us from the others. Many think they can do with out the bore of regulations, but the fact is none of us can, no matter how aversed we are to them. It is evident in the history lessons we learnt from the the slave trade where there were no laws to stop the exploitation of black people. Then again, There are several examples of when civi disobedience against abirtrary and despotic rule was necessary for social change, take for example the salt march led by Mahatma Gandhi to protest on British imposed high expense on it and Claudette Colvin, who became the first African American who refused to give up her seat on a bus to stand up for racial segregation. The picture I am trying paint is this, as much as laws are important, unprejudiced and equipoised laws are even more essential for the worldly society, whether real or virtual. If a woman was not allowed to join a company's communication platform for working purposes because it is what goes for that company in regards to its own rule, what kind of situation would that be?
To answer the third question, I think everyone has the right to decide the answers because they are questions that affect all of society and not just a part of it. I believe the metaverse is designed for the people so let the people be able to experience it and have a voice on it. What should be done is the allowance to create a wide range communicative platform for all kinds of people to bring their own ideas and opinions with everone else's and let it be known to the people who are in a better position to bring about the change that is needed.
Hello, talented sea,
First off I would like to say I agree with your comment and I like how you gave solid and understandable answers to the questions or points listed above but I have some questions to pose based on your comment.
Do you think the metaverse can overcome the real world positively? Do you think people who do not have freedom will be able to have freedom in the metaverse? Do you think the Metaverse can help reduce climate change or help spread the word across? Do you think the Metaverse can be a place where creatures or people of the real world can call their "home"? Do you think there will be bigger issues in the metaverse that the real world has not encountered? Do you think the Metaverse needs a ruler and who or which people do you think can rule the Metaverse and why?
The metaverse can be a place where there would be no serious wars because instead of loosing real lives in cases of war, it can be fought or rather conflicts can be settled in the metaverse. With the use of the metaverse to countries that are not on good terms can assert dominance in a virtual world while protecting the lives of innocent people. Also, the metaverse can create job oppurtunities for software engineers that canhelp in detecting and correcting the flaws on the metaverse. After a lot of consideration i think that the down sides of the metaverse have been outweighed by the advantages. Also some major problems about the metaverse that were stated in the course of the discussion were tackled and solutions came up.
Well in all honesty I feel like the metaverse should be held in almost the same standard... Why did I say so well I honestly feel like the whole point of the metaverse is to make people matter. The metaverse could mean potential new minds interacting with each other. Why I don't support it fully is the mataverse if we believe it or not could be very risky it is easy to impersonate others and it may make it way easier to cyber bully people. I hope genuinely that my point is somewhat clear. According to techtarger.com the biggest fear which I mentioned -Bad behavior, in the real world, on the internet and across social media has likewise occurred in existing metaverse-like experiences. Some women, for example, reported that their avatars were groped. Organizations will have to think about the potential for such problems and what safeguards and policies they'll need to establish to address those issues. Unless problems like this can be solved then the meta verse might not be that safe.
Who should be the ones setting the rules in the Metaverse?
When it comes to ruling the meta verse it's quite a more sensitive matter than we think. Well I read this review by a student in Harvard University and I loved it he said and I quote "The internet platforms we have experienced thus far have been an observational experience that principally harnessed text and video. The metaverse is an experience of participatory immersion in which real world people, problems, and patterns come to life." I know that it sounds far-fetched but maybe we don't really need to worry about who exactly makes the rules just yet, I mean the metaverse is actually years away truth be told the metaverse does give me a little bit worry I mean the metaverse brings the promise of new tools for education, entertainment, medicine, and commerce. At the same time, it imports the problems associated with the current digital platforms while creating a host of new issues as well. We have yet to successfully deal with the problems created by the current digital platforms; the metaverse should be the impetus to rectify those abuses while getting in front of the challenges to come. According to the same article by Harvard University We are told the metaverse is years away, giving us time to figure out how to deal with its ill effects while encouraging its positive features. Failure to develop meaningful policies now - on an international basis - however, will mean we did not learn the lesson of the last multiple decades of internet exploitation by a handful of companies and how the companies write their own rules at the expense of the public interest.
The online challenges with which we wrestle today, such as privacy, competition, and misinformation, will be supercharged by the intrusive, immersive, individually identifiable, and manipulative nature of the metaverse. On top of this, the metaverse expands the problems inherent in unsupervised online communities such as harassment, manipulation, personal safety and the safety of children.
The problems created by the digital platforms of today were, for the most part, an unexpected surprise. We cannot claim such innocence about the metaverse. The experience with social media is a warning about what happens when public interest expectations are not part of digital innovation, when “build it and be damned” is the rule. Policy makers need to come to grips with – preferably get ahead of – the new technology with focus equal to those who are creating the new challenges. "We are told the metaverse is years away, giving us time to figure out how to deal with its ill effects while encouraging its positive features. Failure to develop meaningful policies now - on an international basis - however, will mean we did not learn the lesson of the last multiple decades of internet exploitation by a handful of companies and how the companies write their own rules at the expense of the public interest.
The online challenges with which we wrestle today, such as privacy, competition, and misinformation, will be supercharged by the intrusive, immersive, individually identifiable, and manipulative nature of the metaverse. On top of this, the metaverse expands the problems inherent in unsupervised online communities such as harassment, manipulation, personal safety and the safety of children.
I mean can we see all the potential problems honestly I'm more concerned about this than who makes the rules because clearly we know that rules are as easy to manipulate as they are to make.
Thanks for sharing, here is the link for others to see this article.
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/mrcbg/publications/awp/awp195
Can you pick out what you think is the most important point from the article and explain why it is an important point?
Thanks for sharing the article, according to me the most important point of the article is that" metaverse may be virtual but the impact of it is real". They have explained the harsh truth about metaverse in a easy language.
I agree because when we get the internet right, and deal with cybercrime and bullying that will reduce negative behaviours on the metaverse
I think that policy makers should get ahead of what is going on before the metaverse gets too big. That is why I think some people are putting certain developments with the metaverse on hold.
can you talk more about what some of the developments that are being put on hold are marvellous_fig?
Well honestly I think the metaverse could be most easily improved in the next year by increasing accessibility to this technology. There are many current metaverse experiences that require immersive technologies to operate, such as the use of pre-existing virtual reality headsets and equipment.
I concur with you, why? because we can't tell the reason behind this metaverse and on top of that they should have to be brought on board to clarify the public about it and give the appropriate merits and demerits of the metaverse .
I strongly agree with the point that policymakers should get ahead of what is going on before the metaverse gets too big. As the metaverse continues to grow and evolve, it will become increasingly important to establish clear guidelines and regulations that can help ensure that the platform is safe and secure for all users. I think one of the most paramount challenges of the metaverse is that it is a new and rapidly developing space, with many unknowns and uncertainties. I feel that without proper oversight and regulation, there is a risk that the metaverse could be used to facilitate harmful or illegal activities, such as cyberbullying, harassment, or fraud. Moreover, the metaverse raises important questions about data privacy, ownership, and control, which will require careful consideration and policy development. By putting certain developments with the metaverse on hold, policymakers can take the time to study the potential risks and benefits of the platform and develop policies and regulations that can help mitigate the risks and maximize the benefits. This could include measures such as age-proof, content restraint, and user privacy protections, among others hence, I think policymakers should do these things and more in order to never fall behind on what's happening in the Metaverse.
I do not think that the authority is the one that should rule the virtual world, but rather the creative and intelligent people, where the virtual reality must be dealt with with intelligence and creativity and not with authority, judgment and arrogance
In my opinion, the governments of the country should monitor and set the rules of the metaverse because they are fully aware of the rules of the country and they should set the laws, comply with them and strictly adhere to them because of the dangers of the metaverse on the people and impose on them consequences similar to the consequences that are imposed on the people in the real world
How would you see this working when there are two users on the metaverse who reside in different countries in the real world?
The governments. It will still be the people talking, just with representatives. If the general public sets the rules, there may be a lot of contrasting opinions.
I think the general public should be the ones setting the rules in the metaverse because they are the ones going to be governed by the laws and they should agree on what and what not to do while in the virtual world.
Interesting point @exuberant_nature - do you think the general public is equipped with the right knowledge to make rules?
I don't think so but because they are the ones going to use the metaverse, they should have a say in the matter.
I don't think so, some people who will enter the metaverse will enter it as a game and not a complete virtual world, so the general public is not equipped with the correct knowledge, as they will only put the laws that suit them, and they think that they are good, they will not look at the other aspects of the laws that they will put!!
I prefer that the inventor of the Metaverse himself is the person who is equipped with the correct knowledge to set the rules and laws in the Metaverse.
The general public should have a say in the formation of laws because they are the ones who use the metaverse but people will definitely have contrasting opinions some people would prefer different things from others which is why there should be a main body or management in charge of the rules.
I think that the general public isn't equipped with the right knowledge to make the rules because since they are the ones going to use the metaverse, they might want to make rules that might favour a specific race, country, or tribe. Moreover, some of the rules they might make may be absurd and it might negatively affect the growth or development of the metaverse.
Great question!
The rules in the Metaverse should be set by people who are experts in technology, virtual reality, and also laws and regulations. This could include tech companies that create the Metaverse, government officials who help regulate the technology industry, and even experts in fields like psychology or ethics.
For example, let's say you're playing a game in the Metaverse that involves trading virtual items with other players. Companies that make these games might set rules to make sure everyone plays fairly and no one cheats. Government officials might also create laws to protect users' privacy and ensure that people aren't using the Metaverse for illegal activities.
In short, it's important to have a variety of people with different skills and expertise come together to create rules that will keep the Metaverse safe, fun, and fair for everyone.
I understand your concerns about the metaverse and its potential risks. However, I respectfully disagree with your statement. While it is true that the metaverse poses certain challenges, I believe that its immense potential for positive impact outweighs the risks involved. Firstly, the metaverse has the power to revolutionize the way we connect and collaborate. It offers an unprecedented opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations to come together, share knowledge, and foster meaningful relationships. By transcending physical limitations, the metaverse can bridge gaps and create a sense of global community like never before.
Secondly, the metaverse has the potential to empower individuals and amplify their impact. It can serve as a platform for creative expression, entrepreneurship, and innovation. People can unleash their talents, showcase their ideas, and contribute to the collective progress of society. The metaverse can democratize access to resources and opportunities, leveling the playing field for individuals regardless of their socioeconomic status.
While it is true that issues like impersonation and cyberbullying are concerns, it is crucial to recognize that these challenges are not unique to the metaverse. Similar issues already exist in the real world and on the internet. What's important is to address these problems through responsible design, robust security measures, and comprehensive policies. As technology evolves, so does our ability to mitigate risks and protect users within the metaverse.
It's worth noting that advancements in artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and user authentication systems can enhance security and identity verification within the metaverse. By implementing strong safeguards, developing strict protocols, and fostering a culture of digital ethics, we can create a safer and more inclusive metaverse for all participants.
In conclusion, while acknowledging the potential risks, I firmly believe that the metaverse has the capacity to positively transform society. By leveraging its power to connect, inspire, and empower individuals, we can shape a metaverse that truly embodies the values of collaboration, creativity, and mutual respect. With responsible development and collective efforts, we can build a metaverse that is both transformative and safe for all users.
In light of the potential of the metaverse and the concerns surrounding its safety, In my opinion, a reasonable question to consider is: How can we strike a balance between harnessing the transformative power of the metaverse and ensuring the safety and well-being of its users?
In my own opinion, I think metaverse should not be held in almost same standard as the real world. Why I say so, well what are we enduring in the real world and when the metaverse is a new world to communicate with other people who we have not connected before, the new technolgyadvance
As we all know the meta verse is a virtual world made for the purpose of everything like, learning, playing, working and other real life activities. So the question is who should be in charge of the meta verse?, well in my opinion there should laws just like there is in real life because if there are no rules there will be a lot of crimes such as cyber bullying fraud etc… and besides the main purpose of the meta-verse is so people can have a real time experience across large distance, so if there aren’t any rules and people are allowed to do all they want, there will be lots of problems.
That being said only a hand full of people can get access to the Meta verse because it would be very expensive. Also when it comes to who will be in charge I think every country should be represented in making laws giving all countries a fair representation of the people who made the technology and the people using it, should participate in making laws.
Do you think poorer people and countries should be supported to join the metaverse? If no, why not? And if yes, how?
Yes I think poorer people and countries should be supported to join the metaverse. They can be supported by being given access to rent VR devices, also the government should set up technology hubs in poor neighborhoods and corporations could also set up technology hubs as part of their corporate social responsibility, also the community could come together and provide a few VR devices for their collective use.
I think we must strongly support the poor groups and communities in the world to enter the metaverse, and this is for several reasons: 1- Alleviating their suffering in terms of entertainment, games, conversations and events that are always spread on social networking sites. 2- To spread openness, knowledge and development in those societies, and to innovate to meet their needs. 3- Draw the attention of the world to these marginalized communities and groups to provide aid and donations to them. 4- Encouraging cultural exchange, so those who admire the culture of that country will appear and come to visit it, and thus promote tourism in the country, then provide job opportunities, then provide income for workers, and thus attract projects and investments in the poor country.
Well, since the metaverse is supposed to be better and more furnished version of our real world achieving that will mean eliminating some errors that exists amongst us that are not meant to be, one such errors is discrimination and inequality. Whether we like it or not we are all humans and even though some us are more privileged than others it gives us no right to look down on them rather we should look at each other as one and if we are one then we should develop as one we shouldall enjoy the metaverse together. So i say there's no leaving anyone behind "WE MOVE AS ONE".
I think poorer countries should be supported to join the metaverse by extending funds to them and educating them about the dangers and advantages of using metaverse.
I think poorer people should be supported to join the metaverse. How? The government should improve on people's way of earning income by;
Creating more employment opportunities.
Increasing people's salary.
Creating more districts.
No, if poorer and countries are supported to join the metaverse they will think they are now rich enough to do everything and i also think when they go to the metaverse they will copy the immoral behavior in the metaverse since in the metaverse people have bad behavior and in addition to this the poorer and countries should not be supported to join the metaverse.
What 'poor behaviour' in richer countries are you talking about?
Yes, I think poorer people should be supported to join the metaverse, and I think the government should help with that, in Nigeria some poor people don't even have phones...the government should be able to provide for them and it could even aid in educating them.
I liked your comment because indeed, when we stand at the concept of a good world, there must be justice. Setting laws by just people and the people's commitment to them will reduce the problems that the world will face
I agree with your point that only a handful of people can get access to the Metaverse because of how expensive it is but I never really thought about how countries should be in charge of making laws. I believed that if there were to be laws in the Metaverse it would be from the creators of Metaverse but I like how you said that each country should be represented.
I agree with your comment..... because I feel it is key that each country should be represented in making laws because traditions, cultures, religions, etc might differ. In my opinion, if each of these is held into consideration then will not be any conflicts between countries or people in the metaverse making it a safe environment.
I agree because... because some countries are really in poor conditions but they also wish to join the meta verse Therefore some powerful and rich countries should come in to help the poor because some of the countries that can join the meta verse may really insult the ones that can't make it .Also some countries will use this as an opportune moment to destroy others. For example if Uganda can't make it to the meta verse and a country that is not in good relationship with it makes it ,don't you think that country can destroy Uganda since it can't afford joining the meta verse?
I agree with you that there should be some rules in the Metaverse to restrict a few actions and control the amount of crimes or problems that may occur. I also agree that every country should be making the laws for that specific country. This can give Metaverse users a little bit more freedom since every country has different laws or rules, or it may restrict people a little more. With this being said, the Metaverse is a virtual world for people to enjoy themselves, and people shouldn't have any trouble related to these rules if they do the right thing.
I agree with this comment because having laws keep society in balance. A lack a balance causes anarchy and chaos. This same concept should also apply to the metaverse. Even though it is digital, the CRIMES committed should still hold the same weight.
Yes people should be held to the same standards as in the real world, because the metaverse is not real and if someone try to do something and fails that person will learn from his/her mistake and will have the chance to repeat it till he/she get it right and when that person get it right it will help that person in the real world.
EXAMPLE:
When someone try to learn how to drive a car, bake a cake etc.
There should be more rules like safety rules because some people will not schedule their time and spend their whole time in it.
EXAMPLE:
Safety rules
Specific time to visit the metaverse
The metaverse should be ruled by the creator of the metaverse, because only he may know the dangers of it and he deserves to rule it.
That's an interesting point. So you think the metaverse gives people the chance to try new things so that they can then do them better in the real world? Almost like a test run?
Exactly, yes we should use it for a good purpose like correcting ourselves, understand our, mistakes and even they can try many experiments in metaverse and if it was succeeded we can implement in our real world ... The government can test new rules in metaverse..
This is such a cool idea, straightforward_moth. Do you have any ideas the sort of thing that could be tested? For example, the experiments or rules you mentioned?
There are some major issues in the word that we're still battling with. Having them tested in the metaverse to see if it will work can give us a better way of solving them.
The world is going through climate change crisis and sustainable solutions have been made to reduce the effects. Creating tougher climate laws is one of the solutions suggested for us but people are thinking it will not be attainable easily in their countries. Trying these laws in the metaverse will help create a better way of making people follow the rules without them feeling its tough.
Also we've had different opinion of people in this topical talk on whether people should be allowed to strike or not considering the positive and negative effect it has.. The responses gotten are like 50-50% from peoples different perspectives. The meterverse can make us come up with sustainable and better ways of preventing strikes.
Scientists have been conducting various researches and test to come up with an effective HIV vaccine. The metaverse will give them a faster way to conduct their tests and they can easily have access to other researches will will enable them run different hypothesis and come up with a permanent vaccine.
Yes
FACT: This would make our life simple and easy to those who see the positive side of the metaverse and take use of the metaverse advantage.
Please what is a test run
Yes ,we will be able to do all the things easily in the virtual world that we can't be able to do in our real world. So,we can enjoy our life in the virtual world, but we must ensure that we use them for a limited time but not be addicted to it.
I think that the metaverse actually does give people a chan e to try new things...the metaverse is more advanced and modified than the real world for example driving a car maybe...learning to drive using VR is safer than using and actual car.
Hi,
Metaverse like a VR (virtual reality) where we can take a look of new world that the world which is created by the human being s artificially. We can spend time with enjoyment and others can also enter into the Metaverse . But for the question Metaverse can be entertainment but it can't be equal to the real world example:
In the Metaverse we can't eat a food it can done in the virtual but it doesn't fill our hunger when we in the real world we can eat the in the reality it fill our hunger. If we do the bad things in the real world it affects our image and pride of our family. But in the Metaverse the wrong thing it's can be hided from the society and if it's revealed that can't be identified such easily . If the some hacker in people of the Metaverse hacked the credit money should be given to an account when the hacker takes it we can't do any thing in the Metaverse because the hacker is specialist
in the technology so we can't do such actions which we perform in the real world. Metaverse should only for good technology development and only for proper things. It should be only parental guidance for the children . The children who are below 18 years should have a safety .To avoid the Metaverse used in the wrong ways . The rules of the Metaverse should be created by the government because the government have a certain restrictions to the general public to how to use it properly in the right way. The Metaverse can helpful in the new experience about the artificial world which is created by the human beings
Interesting point about food! Do you think the government are knowledgeable enough to create rules for the metaverse?
I'm not sure about this because but the government is also knowledge to create the rules for Metaverse
Not really I think Governments ought to develop the network, financial and technical capabilities to make Metaverse for citizens, a reality. The Governments should be ready to address data protection, cyber security, digital identity, and other digital policy issues.In the near future, government services could become available in virtual worlds such as the Metaverse, making it possible to perform tasks such as paying taxes and voting from inside VR/AR experiences.
That opens up new opportunities for governments to offer their services in an entirely new way, potentially totally changing how governments interact with their citizens and provide public services, and increasing transparency and efficiency while decreasing costs and complexity.I see a future where all of us will be able to engage with governments in the Metaverse either directory or through our avatars to participate in a policymaking, obtaining information and services from AI-enabled government virtual representatives that will provide a human-like experience to citizens or users. Having said that, this requires governments to make several important decisions about integrating themselves into the Metaverse and what role they should play in this increasingly immersive online virtual world
This is really interesting thinking! I like that you are thinking about how we might operate with people in governments or be mobilised to help with policy-making.
Yes, I think the government are knowledgeable enough to make rules in the metaverse because the government is not only one person but a group of people and as the saying goes, two heads are better than one.
I don't think the government are knowledgeable enough to create rules for the metaverse on their own but they could come together with the management or creators of the metaverse to create rules that would benefit and ensure satefy of both the government and citizens.
Governments have experience creating rules and regulations for new technologies such as the internet, social media, and e-commerce. Therefore, it's possible that they could create rules for the metaverse as well. However, the nature of the metaverse is different from these previous technologies, and it may require a different approach.
It's also important to note that the metaverse is likely to be a global phenomenon, and therefore, international cooperation will be needed to establish consistent and effective regulations. This will require collaboration between governments, industry stakeholders, and other relevant organizations to ensure that the metaverse is safe and secure for all users.
I don't think it's a good idea to let the general public decide the answers to the questions. As soon as I thought about it, it came to my mind that people would choose everything that was comfortable and suitable for them and they would disagree a lot with each other, and I don't think they would think about the consequences when choosing an answer.!
So maybe someone more responsible decides the questions like (experts from the metaverse)
Should the government be involved?
The participation of the government in decision-is making a good idea. I thought that when a problem occurs, they should turn to responsible people, and the first responsibility is the government of the country.!,
and they are also observers from the government (no interference in privacy) but monitoring in external matters such as: the wrong use of ' Meta' or the occurrence of problems when using it.., and I also like to say that it is necessary for the government to appoint specialized people with them to monitor and participate.!
I think the government should be involved...because their citizens are the users of the metaverse and I also feel that the government should be responsible for financing the creation and improvement of the metaverse.
yes i agree with you that it is not a good idea for the public to decide the answers to the questions because people have different ideas and i guess every one may want his or her ideas to be considered leading to disagreement. This may also lead to strikes and a lot of confusion will take place.
In my opinion,i think metaverse should not be held almost same as the real world.
#Using this metaverse we can able to communicate with other person whom we doesn't seen in our life.(eg A boy 10years old, while he was a baby his father had passes away but now he can able to see his father using VR glass.)
#Even though for children it is very useful, they can play games in VR instead of playing in mobile or computer.It gives a new experience for us.So metaverse is useful for us.
You have made good points about how the metaverse can be beneficial for people and how it can help us connect.
You said that people in the metaverse should not be held to account the same as they are in the real world. Why do you think this? What do you think makes it different from the real world?
We know about metaverse, but we do not really understand how it works according to tech target
"Two technologies considered important to the development and growth of the metaverse are virtual reality and augmented reality:
Virtual reality is a simulated 3D environment that enables users to interact with a virtual surrounding in a way that approximates reality as perceived through our senses. This approximation of reality is now typically accessed through a VR headset that takes over a user's field of vision. Haptics, including gloves, vests and even full-body tracking suits, enable more lifelike interaction with the virtual environment.
Augmented reality is less immersive than VR. It adds digital overlays on top of the real world via a lens of some type. Users can still interact with their real-world environment. The game Pokémon Go is an early example of AR. Google Glass and heads-up displays in car windshields are well-known consumer AR products.
Whether VR and AR experiences turn out to be the primary interfaces of the metaverse remains to be seen.
I People feel like maybe the metaverse was created to challenge the internet not really rather it builds on it, people browse on the internet, but to a degree people can live in it
For me I think the metaverse should be held with the same standard in the real world because as we know the metaverse encompasses the entire social and economic structures that exists in both the actual and virtual worlds. So, if we don't hold it with the same regard as we do in the real world it could become a place where people behave badly, and they would not be scared of the consequences because there is no one to stop them if the standards are not the same with the real world. Already the actual world is suffering from various social vices and problems, but we should not let it also happen in the metaverse. Let us make it a safe place where people don't have to worry about cyber bullying and identity impersonating and another concern people have about the metaverse is whether it is safe for children but if the same standards are held in the metaverse people won't need to worry too much about the safety of themselves and their kids.
This is a great observation and safety should be important in the metaverse.
Let's imagine you're in charge of the metaverse for a moment; what kind of safety measures would you implement, and why?
Well, if I was in charge of the metaverse for a moment I will set up rules and regulations that are strict but also easy to comply with because as we all know the metaverse encompasses the social and economic structures that exist both in the actual and virtual world, so if the metaverse operates similarly with the actual world with users interacting with each other and taking parts in social activities, it is of utmost importance that certain restrictions or boundaries are set up in order to ensure the safety of the users . Other safety measures I would implement are appropriate punishment for those who fail to abide by the rules because if the users see that there are no consequences for bad behavior the metaverse becomes a place of lawlessness and anarchy and that will not be good, also user identification, this will help to prevent identity impersonating and also identifying deviants in the metaverse and also enforcing users restriction in order to promote users safety and privacy and I strongly believe that if this safety measures are put in place the metaverse will be safe for the users.
There are some great observations here - and yu're right, it's important the safety measures are easy to comply with. Can you give any specific examples of safety measures you'd like to see?
Content Moderation: In a metaverse, users will be able to create and share their own content, which can be both exciting and potentially dangerous. To prevent harmful or inappropriate content from spreading, a content moderation system should be put in place. This could include both automated filters and human moderators who review flagged content
Age Verification: To ensure that younger users are not exposed to inappropriate content or interactions, age verification could be required to access certain areas of the metaverse or participate in certain activities.
User Ratings and Feedback: A user rating system could be implemented to allow users to rate their interactions with other users, which would help to identify and discourage bad behavior. Similarly, feedback mechanisms could be provided to allow users to report bugs, suggest improvements, or provide other feedback.
Transparent Governance: The metaverse should have transparent governance and clear policies that are enforced consistently. This would help to build trust among users and ensure that everyone is held to the same standards.
Limits on Virtual Currency Transactions: To prevent fraud or money laundering, limits could be placed on the amount of virtual currency that can be exchanged between users or withdrawn from the metaverse. For example, users may be required to verify their identity or provide additional information before making large transactions.
Accessibility Features: The metaverse should be designed to be accessible to users with disabilities. This could include features such as text-to-speech, color contrast options, and keyboard navigation.
You've made some great points here @Flowing_Chocolate - I work closely with our fraud and money laundering teams, and it's great you've identified this as a risk and proposed a sensible way to curb the activity. Who would be responsible for enforcing these rules?
Topics or discussions like this tend to marvel me the thing is humans are so predictable, the fact that something evolutionary is coming to place and we humans are more concerned about who rules it is quite typical of humans I mean of course the only thing we think about is how to create the next big power grab. The metaverse is meant to be kinda a place where we can actually relax and escape
@tenacious_drum so following on from your statement, do you think when people use the metaverse they should be help to the same standards in the real world and why? Do you think this will make the metaverse a kind place or do you think more rules are needed?
I think the metaverse should be held at the same standard with the real world... because in the metaverse people from different parts of the world get to socialize and most of the time people who can't really express themselves well in real life are more open in the metaverse because they feel more protected,which is why I also feel there should be more rules because on the metaverse people feel like they are at liberty to do or say what they want and go scot free.
Yes, people in the metaverse should be held to the same standards as in the real world but with increase in freedom for best experience, since the main idea of the metaverse is to allow people to explore, create and do what you can't do in the real world and allow interaction between different mind. Right? So people in the metaverse should be held to the same standards as in the real world to avoid by confusion between the real world and the metaverse and to prevent the adoption of negative behavior to the real world. In any enviroment rules govern the activities of people so it should be no difference in the metaverse as to protect the people from frauds and other forms of cyber crimes. But who should make the rules? In my opinion, the creators of the metaverse should be in charge of making the rules. since they know what they have created more anyone. Also they are human, they know ups and downs people are facing in the real world.
But is the metaverse really all good? Yes the metaverse will help a lot but it will also cause us alot. For example
Higher equipment costs.,
Potential for bullying, harassments and assaults,
Additional privacy concerns and security issues,
More reasons for addictive behavior. etc
But with proper management and rules limiting the time spent in the metaverse, everything should be okay
When people use Metaverse in a bad way, I think that there must be sanctions like banning this user from logging in for a week or month. Likewise, when a user behaves well, then he/she must be awarded for example several virtual likes or stars that allow them to buy something for free from the supermarket.
Normally, giving too much freedom to anyone will let him/her misbehave sometimes, so there must be some rules that for example ban bullying, saying swear words, and posting unethical videos or photos.
Finally, I can tell that the creators of the Metaverse should them selves put the rules of reward and punsihment to induce and intimidate at the same time so that no one crosses the line.
After listening to my colleagues and after thinking, I say that rules must be set in the Metaverse because setting rules helps to organize. Suppose these laws are put in place, it will be easier and better, and everyone will understand that it is something that should not be joked about, and the rules are implemented in terms of punishment or reward, as my colleague said honorable_city
Thanks unique_power.
You know what! There's a proverb that says: " For those who know no punishment, will misbehave." So, this reassures the importance of setting rules by metaverse system makers so that people don't misbehave and hurt others in any way.
@honorable_city, great comment there you have thought well about both the rewards and sanctions. Can you think about what it would be like if we used a reward/sanction system like this outside of the metaverse in the real world... Do you still think these measures would be appropriate to use in the metaverse? Would be great if you could tell me why.
Hi there,
I agree with you here because if anyone does something bad they should be punished and if they do something good they should be rewarded. The metaverse is supposed to have rules like that for easy usage.
Yes, my dear. This is the nature of human beings. For example, when parents want to reinforce a good conduct, they give their kids some toys or gifts as a reward and when they want to stop a bad conduct, e.g. they deprive the child from the daily outgoing.
I would like to support the fact that people in the metaverse should not be held to the same standard as people the real world this is because what we face in the real world is different from what is in the metaverse so therefore the rules guiding the real world and the metaverse would vary and the standards or quality in which they are required to meet would differ. And also for the record. the metaverse is a virtual world in which one can interact. explore and create content.
In the metaverse there should be rules such as the ability to create, share, and develop content freely without any complications coupled with the fact that it is the main reason for the establishment.
The metaverse should also have rules such as equal respect for everyone, technology standardization,
honesty and openness and human-first and with the given rules I belief that the metaverse would be able to develop and progress productively.
In my own view I think the metaverse should be controlled by the creators of the metaverse due to the fact that they know the metaverse better than any of us since they themselves created and established it. They know all the advantages and disadvantages and think they are capable of creating rules that are okay and acceptable for members of the metaverse to follow and abide by.
I agree with your point because the real world is a place where things are more impactable than the metaverse. Within the real world, one action can have insane ramifications of unknown consequences. People can die, money can be lost, things can be stolen, all because of one action.
Can things be stolen online?
Metaverse is earths twin. The same people that live in the Metaverse are the ones in the real world.
People in Metaverse should be held responsible their actions the same way as in the real world. For example if a person commits a crime like stealing or raping in the Metaverse, the avatar represents him/her and it means that if that person gets the same opportunity to do so in the real world he/she will do it. It is best to use the same rule or even a more tougher ones in the Metaverse to bring people to justice.
There should also be limitations to the freedom people have online in the Metaverse because one can do anything he/she wants. Without these limitations the Metaverse will be a lawless and unsafe environment.
I feel the creators of metaverse and government officials Should be the only ones to have the power to decide and rule in the digital world. Leaving the room open for other people to be part of the decision making will only yield negative results.
@harmonious_river you raise some good points there, well done. Do you think if a person creates a crime in the metaverse should the punishment/sanction be done to their avatar or to the person themselves in the real world?
"let the punishment
Fit the crime"
If a person creates a crime should be punished because then only other person would be able to know this is wrong if we did that thing we will also be published.
I agree because... sometimes people would think it is good to do anything in the metaverse and that can reflect actions unto the real world.
Hello, we shouldn't judge metaverse people directly. If they made a mistake that doesn't mean they're bad. Maybe they've done it unintentionally. And if they did a good thing this doesn't mean that they don't make mistakes as some people pretend to be angels behind the screen.
As for people's freedom on the internet, I believe that people should have freedom on the internet with some regulatory laws to preserve the virtual and real society. And yes, I think that the laws will positively affect the virtual society, which will also affect the real society. I am waiting for the opinion of the metaverse makers and the government together..!!